Sound Tracing: Rendering Listener Specific Acoustic Room Properties

Abstract

We present an acoustic rendering approach visualizing the listener-specific contribution of frequency-dependent pressure fields on a scene geometry with acoustic reflection and scattering properties. Our method facilitates the evaluation of simulated acoustics showing the effect of simulation parameters like absorption and scattering. The image-based spatial localization of acoustic properties is complementary to the auditive evaluation by means of auralization. Our core contribution is a pressure-based acoustic rendering equation and a corresponding raytracing method applying techniques from photorealistic rendering to the field of simulated room acoustics. Applications are directed at the visualization of interference patterns and analyzing the impact of acoustic reflection parameters.