ELECTRONICS : Sound Technonolgy Improves Acoustics at Home

Spaces can be designed to produce a desired quality of sound. Great care is taken in building concert halls to make sure that they have the proper acoustics.

Now, technology is being developed to produce a specific acoustical effect no matter what the size or shape of the room. This technology, combined with advanced equipment, will allow instantaneous monitoring and adjustment of sound to produce a desired acoustical effect. Using this new breakthrough, engineers will be able to produce an effect of virtual reality in almost any acoustical environment.

Currently, the project is confined to the Media Lab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where researchers are using a variety of amplifiers, speakers and computers to synthesize and reproduce audio signals.

The system will probably be included as a chip-based feature in audio-video receivers and will employ loudspeakers with built-in microphones designed to listen to the way sound is received by the room. These will relay the information back to the receivers for continuous adjustments customized to the listening space.

Sound will also be shaped to fit the pictorial content on the screen. For example, if the visual image is still, the system might emphasize the audio element until given a different command.

When virtual rooms become prevalent in the entertainment industry, filmmakers might incorporate audio instructions to be received by theater and home viewing equipment.