What is anechoic room simulation?

Acoustic environment simulation involves the presentation of audio material to a subject in a way that creates the impression that the subject is in a different environment. The experience will obviously be more realistic if the subject is also presented with other sensory (eg. visual) input that matches the acoustic environment.

The simulation of acoustic environments is a technique that has been used for a number of years in the field of acoustics. The ability to listen to a simulated acoustic space has enabled researchers in acoustics to examine the characteristics of a virtual or real acoustic space via computer modelling. Initially, simulation was used as a powerful tool to test the accuracy of the computer model. As computer modelling techniques have been refined and proven, the quality and accuracy of simulation has improved to the point where it is now being used as a reliable means of predicting the characteristics of an acoustic space that does not exist in reality. In the field of acoustics, this method of simulation has become known as Auralization [1], being the auditory counterpart to visualisation.

Simulation of an acoustic environment involves one or more of the following functions :

Processing an audio source input and presenting it to the subject through a number of loudspeakers (or headphones) with the intention of making the sound source appear to be located at a particular position in space. This is the most basic acoustic environment simulation.
Processing multiple input audio sources in such a way that each source is independently located in space around the subject.
Enhanced processing to simulate some aspects of the room acoustics, so that the user can acoustically sense the size of the room and the nature of the floor and wall coverings.
A most accurate simulation of the room acoustics, sufficient for the subject to be able to make judgements on the quality of the simulated acoustic space (for example, to evaluate the usefulness of the room for public speaking or musical performances).
The capability for the subject to move (perhaps within a limited range) and turn his/her head so as to focus attention on some aspects of the sound source characteristics or room acoustics.
 
Anechoic modeling refers to a space where reflections of the original wave are attenuated by absorption onto surfaces that intersect the wave before it hits the microphone recording the noise.
 
And if you ever have the opportunity to visit one, do so. It's a cool and freaky thing. Most people never notice the early reflections in a room - any room - your living room, bedroom, etc.

Being inside an isolated anechoic chamber is the closest thing to "slience" that you may ever hear.
 
Yeah, it feels like somebody slapped huge mufflers on your ears. It took me several minutes to get used to it. The chambers I visited was by the way also decoupled from the rest of the world, so no outside noises came in either. Or out. :)
 
Yeah, my school had a chamber like that, I can't remember why, I believe it had something to do with 'special education" students, but I can't really see why. I should try to get in that thing sometime.
 
It's a good way to see exactly how bad your tinnitus is. I can't stand those things, the damn squealing in my ears drives me crazy.:(
 
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