SONICOM

SONICOM: Transforming Auditory-Based Social Interaction in AR/VR

Partners: Imperial College London (Coordinator), Sorbonne Université, Austrian Academy of Sciences, University of Milan, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University of Glasgow, University of Málaga, Dreamwaves (Austria), Reactify (UK), USound (Austria).
Programme: Horizon 2020
Call: FETPROACT-EIC-07-2020
Grant Agreement No.: 101017743
Duration: January 2021 – June 2026
Principal Investigator at UMA: Arcadio Reyes-Lecuona
Research team at UMA: Luis Molina-Tanco, María Cuevas-Rodríguez, Daniel González-Toledo, Pablo Gutiérrez-Parera


Overview

SONICOM aims to redefine auditory-based social interactions in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) environments. By leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), the project develops innovative immersive audio technologies that are personalized and realistic. Beyond auditory perception, SONICOM explores the behavioral, cognitive, and physiological effects of spatial audio, advancing how we experience sound in virtual and real-world settings.


Key Objectives

  • Personalized Auditory Experiences: Develop sound models tailored to individual users.
  • Enhanced AR/VR Communication: Study how spatial audio affects collaboration and interaction.
  • Reproducible Research Tools: Provide open-source frameworks for auditory and psychoacoustic science.
  • Behavioral Insights: Investigate how immersive audio influences cognition, behavior, and perception.

UMA’s Role

At the University of Málaga, led by Prof. Arcadio Reyes-Lecuona, the team is at the forefront of developing the Binaural Rendering Toolbox (BRT). This open-source library facilitates real-time spatial audio processing with advanced features like Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) and Binaural Room Impulse Responses (BRIRs). The BRT is central to psychoacoustic research and immersive AR/VR applications, enabling precise and customizable auditory experiences.


Publications by UMA

González-Toledo D; Cuevas-Rodríguez M; Vicente T; Picinali L; Molina-Tanco L; Reyes-Lecuona A

Spatial release from masking in the median plane with non-native speakers using individual and mannequin head related transfer functions Journal Article

In: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 155, no. 1, pp. 284-293, 2024, ISSN: 0001-4966.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Reyes-Lecuona A; Cuevas-Rodríguez M; González-Toledo D; Molina-Tanco L; Poirier-Quinot D; Picinali L

Hearing loss and hearing aid simulations for accessible user experience Proceedings Article

In: Proceedings of the XXIII International Conference on Human Computer Interaction, Association for Computing Machinery, Lleida, Spain, 2024, ISBN: 9798400707902.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Cuevas-Rodriguez M; González-Toledo D; Gutierrez-Parera P; Reyes-Lecuona A

An experiment replication on dynamic 3D sound loalisation using auditory Virtual Reality Proceedings Article

In: Proceedings of the 10th Convention of the European Acoustics Association, 2023.

Links | BibTeX

González-Toledo D; Molina-Tanco L; Cuevas-Rodríguez M; Majdak P; Reyes-Lecuona A

The Binaural Rendering Toolbox. A Virtual Laboratory for Reproducible Research in Psychoacoustics Proceedings Article

In: Proceedings of the 10th Convention of the European Acoustics Association, 2023.

Links | BibTeX

Picinali L; Katz B F; Geronazzo M; Majdak P; Reyes-Lecuona A; Vinciarelli A

The SONICOM Project: Artificial Intelligence-Driven Immersive Audio, From Personalization to Modeling [Applications Corner] Journal Article

In: IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, vol. 39, no. 6, pp. 85-88, 2022.

Links | BibTeX

Arrebola F; Gonzalez-Toledo D; Garcia-Jimenez P; Molina-Tanco L; Cuevas-Rodriguez M; Reyes-Lecuona A

Simulación en tiempo real de las reflexiones tempranas mediante el método de las imágenes Proceedings Article

In: 53 Congreso Español de Acústica -TECNIACUSTICA 2022., 2022.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Cuevas-Rodríguez M; González-Toledo D; Reyes-Lecuona A; Picinali L

Impact of non-individualised head related transfer functions on speech-in-noise performances within a synthesised virtual environment Journal Article

In: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 149, no. 4, pp. 2573–2586, 2021, ISSN: 0001-4966.

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

Reyes-Lecuona A; Márquez-Moncada A; Luis B H; González-Toledo D; Cuevas-Rodriguez M; Molina-Tanco L

Binaural Audio and Rotation Gain in Virtual Environments Journal Article

In: Interaccion – Revista Digital de AIPO, vol. 2, iss. 2, pp. 54-62, 2021.

BibTeX


Additional Information