Real-time Auditory Contrast Enhancement

Abstract

Every day, we rely on the information that is encoded in the auditory feedback of our physical interactions. With the goal to perceptually enhance those sound characteristics that are relevant to us — especially within professional practices such as percussion and auscultation — we introduce the method of real-time Auditory Contrast Enhancement (ACE). It is derived from algorithms for speech enhancement as well as from the remarkable sound processing mechanisms of our ears. ACE is achieved by individual sharpening of spectral and temporal structures contained in a sound while maintaining its natural gestalt. With regard to the targeted real-time applications, the proposed method is designed for low latency. As the discussed examples illustrate, it is able to significantly enhance spectral and temporal contrast.

Acoustic Transparency and the Changing Soundscape of Auditory Mixed Reality

“…Mariette [63] described audio AR as "simply the introduction of artificial sound material into the real world", with a range of characteristics defining different types of audio AR, such as the predominant sensory modality, the spatial characteristics of the sound, the means of presentation, and user tracking/mobility. Such a broad definition encapsulates many other terms and auditory experiences, from different forms of Spatial and Location Based Audio [63,101,12,62,89,85,68,21] to Mediated Reality and Augmented Perception [99,24,107,104,100,111]. Indeed, even the use of "mobile transistor radios or early portable tape players with headphones could both be understood as presenting an augmented reality" [63] as real and virtual content is combined in both cases.…”

“…Auditory Extended Perception MR audio experiences intended to enhance reality. Also known as Superhearing [24], Auditory Contrast Enhancement [111], Enhanced Audio Perception [104] and Augmented Perception [107]. Auditory Altered Reality MR audio experiences intended to modify or overwrite reality.…”

Data-driven Auditory Contrast Enhancement for Everyday Sounds and Sonifications

“…Yang et al define spectral contrast as "the decibel difference between peaks and valleys in the [magnitude] spectrum" [11]. This definition, however, refers to contrast within a sample and is what we explore in the companion paper [8]. Here, we have to rethink the notion of contrast from the viewpoint of perceptual contrast between juxtaposed sounds s…”

“…Likewise spectrotemporal contrast can be enhanced in sound. This topic is extensively elaborated in our companion paper [8].…”