Achieving the democracy of sound: audio engineering research

Audio: Safe listening experience

Listen to Professor Adam Hill as he chats about how his research has been applied globally and has been fundamental in industry guidance.

Safe listening experience transcript

Background

Audio engineering researchers at the University of Derby have won global attention for projects which are delivering a consistently high-quality and safe listening experience for all – whether in our living rooms or at major outdoor festivals.

Dr Bruce Wiggins and Dr Adam Hill have broken new ground in analysing and optimising sound reproduction and reinforcement. Their work has brought exciting new developments in creative immersive audio technology, transformed the sound systems at music festivals and performance venues, and helped set new standards for audience safety.

Research Developments

Live performances

The research has led to technical advances in surround sound and the optimisation of subwoofer systems and has been adopted by audio production professionals worldwide.

A leading manufacturer of professional loudspeaker systems, Funktion-One, drew on their expertise to deliver immersive and engaging sound at large-scale outdoor events. The company employed software developed at the University to bring a new dimension to performances on the Glade stage at Glastonbury Festival.

The University’s research to improve subwoofer systems has also been used by sound engineers at US festivals and on a worldwide arena tour by The Prodigy. A novel signal processing algorithm – designed to deliver high-quality listening experiences for audience members at live events – informed the development of a new auditorium in New Zealand’s National Library.

Further developments

Beyond live performances, tools developed by Drs Wiggins and Hill have improved the sound quality of 360/virtual reality videos on YouTube and VLC Media Player and enhanced the sound systems on corporate aircraft.

One innovative study solved a marine biology problem by adopting special effects from the music industry. In an underwater acoustics project featured on the BBC’s Blue Planet II, virtual bass algorithms were used to detect and monitor sounds from creatures living in and around coral reefs to help assess reef health.

Safety Impacts

On the safety front, the University’s investigations into sound exposure and noise pollution have pinpointed ways to avoid unsafe sound pressure levels at large-scale outdoor music events and to minimise noise annoyance for surrounding communities. Dr. Hill has been invited to contribute his expertise to the World Health Organisation’s Make Listening Safe initiative, an international regulatory framework for loud sounds.

The University’s work has also influenced British standards for PA and emergency sound systems in sports grounds and large public buildings as well as International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards on rating speech intelligibility in sound systems.

Researchers

Dr Bruce Wiggins, Associate Professor (Research) in Audio Engineering (1999-present)
Dr Adam Hill, Associate Professor of Electroacoustics (2012-present)