WHAM: To Asymmetry and Beyond!

Abstract

Auralisation of acoustic spaces is a tool used in many industries. To provide a truly representative result, the systems used must capture and deliver critical, dynamic, psychoacoustic cues that react to the listeners head position. The WHAM (Webcam Head-tracked Ambisonics) website (www.brucewiggins.co.uk/WHAM) utilises webcams to provide auralisation that reacts to head rotation via the browser using standard HRTF data; visitors to the site can experience very high order horizontal only Ambisonic to binaural presentation of room responses. In its initial inception, orders were limited to 7th order asymmetry for the final binaural presentation, which previous research has shown to fall below a transparent perceptual threshold compared to orders up to 31st. This paper documents the developments to deliver beyond 7th order and improvements in functionality made to the WHAM website and open-source JS Ambisonics software library, that continue to make it a useful remote resource for acoustic auralisation purposes.