New technology brings immersive audio to everyone’s pockets

Spatial audio is a sound reproduction technique where individual sounds are precisely placed in different parts of a room. Unlike traditional surround sound, where the sound comes from specific speakers, spatial audio creates an immersive soundscape where the sound truly envelops the listener and seems to come from natural places, just as we hear sounds in real life. This enhances the experience of listening to films, games, music and more, making it feel like you are in the middle of the action. 

'Capturing sound in a room usually requires several expensive microphones and post-processing. This raises costs and limits the use of the technology,' says Postdoctoral Researcher Raimundo Gonzalez. The solution developed by Aalto University researchers, however, allows high-quality spatial audio to be recorded easily using existing microphones and an additional device that can be connected to them. The technology easily adapts to a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets and cameras. 

The innovation is currently awaiting a patent. The three-person Artemis team aim to commercialise the project, and is currently seeking funding to further develop its technology and reach new customers. 

The solution has a wide range of potential applications: it opens up new dimensions for content production in areas such as movies, games and music. It also improves the quality of sound in virtual meetings and virtual reality, making communication in online meetings more natural and therefore less tiring.

'We strongly believe that we have unique and powerful technology on our hands. Sound is an essential part of the way people communicate with each other. Our recording solution can revolutionise the way we communicate, making it more personal and impactful,' says Gonzalez.

Aalto University presents 12 world-changing innovations at Slush in 2024. One of them is Artemis, the creators of intelligent audio technology that will enable all media devices to record spatial audio in the future. The Artemis team will be at the Aalto stand on Thursday 21 November from 2–6pm.