Virtual Reality is one of the next big things in gaming, more and more games delivering an immersive VR-experience are popping up. Words such as immersion and presence has quickly become buzzwords that’s often used to describe a VR-game or experience. This interactive simulation of reality is literally turning people’s heads. The crowd pleaser, the ability to look around in 360-degrees, is however casting a shadow on the aural aspect. This study focused on this problem in relation to audio narrative. We examined which differences we could identify between a purely diegetic audio narrative and one utilizing a mix between diegetic and non-diegetic sound. How to grab the player’s attention and guide them to places in order for them to progress in the story. By spatializing audio using HRTF, we tested this dilemma through a game comparison with the help of soundscapes by R. Murray Schafer and auditory hierarchy by David Sonnenschein, as well as inspiration from Actor Network Theory. In our game comparison we found that while the synthesized sound, non-diegetic, ensured that the sound grabs the player’s attention, the risk of breaking the player’s immersion also increases.

The purpose of this thesis is to develop software to stream input and output audio from a large number of computers in a network to one specific computer in the same network. This computer will save the audio to disk. The audio that is to be saved will consist mostly of spoken communication. The saved audio is to be used in a framework for modeling and visualization. There are three major problems involved in designing a software to fill this purpose: recording both input and output audio at the same time, efficiently receiving multiple audio-streams at once and designing an interface where finding and organizing the computers to record audio from is easy. The software developed to solve these problems consists of two parts; a server and a client. The server captures the input (microphone) and output (speaker) audio from a computer. To capture the output and input audio simultaneously an external application named Virtual Audio Cable (VAC) is used. The client connects to multiple servers and receives the captured audio. Each one of the client’s server-connections is handled by its own thread. To make it easy to find available servers an Automatic Server Discovery System has been developed. To simplify the organization of the servers they are displayed in a tree-view specifically designed for this purpose.

O Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão Digital estabeleceu como padrão de codificação de áudio o algoritmo MPEG-4 Advanced Audio Coding, mais precisamente nos perfis Low Complexity, High Efficiency versão 1 e High Efficiency versão 2. O trabalho apresenta um estudo detalhado sobre o padrão, contendo desde alguns conceitos da psicoacústica como o mascaramento até a metodologia de decodificação do stream codificado, sempre voltado para o mercado do SBTVD. É proposta uma arquitetura em hardware para um decodificador compatível com o padrão MPEG-4 AAC LC. O decodificador é separado em dois grandes blocos mantendo em um deles o banco de filtros, considerado a parte mais custosa em termos de processamento. No bloco restante é realizada a decodificação do espectro, onde ocorre a decodificação dos códigos de Huffman, o segundo ponto crítico do algoritmo em termos de demandas computacionais. Por fim é descrita a implementação da arquitetura proposta em VHDL para prototipação em um FPGA da família Cyclone II da Altera. / MPEG-4 Advanced Audio Coding is the chosen algorithm for the Brazilian Digital Television System (SBTVD), supporting the Low Complexity, High Efficiency version 1 and High Efficiency version 2 profiles. A detailed study of the algorithm is presented, ranging from psychoacoustics concepts like masking to a review of the AAC bitstream decoding process, always keeping in mind the SBTVD. A digital hardware architecture is proposed, in which the algorithm is split in two separate blocks, one of them containing the Filter Bank, considered the most demanding task. The other block is responsible for decoding the coded spectrum, which contains the second most demanding task of the system: the Huffman decoding. In the final part of this work the conversion of the proposed architecture into VHDL modules meant to be prototyped with an Altera Cyclone II FPGA is described.

Orientador: Jose Eduardo Ribeiro de Paiva / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Artes / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T10:26:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ferreira_DanielaCarvalhoMonteiro_M.pdf: 13405778 bytes, checksum: 051e3be8246587f931a5e8fc5e5e3c60 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de relatar o registro histórico dos formatos e dos codecs de áudio presentes na Internet, a partir do ano 1990. Este registro é a base para conhecer a evolução tecnológica sonora digital, que fundamenta a análise do som como recurso de comunicação e de arte. A partir desta análise, verifica-se a função do áudio na multimídia via Internet mediante a percepção dos usuários, e avaliam-se as tendências de utilização para que o processo sonoro de comunicação seja mais efetivo via web / Abstract: The present work has the objective of relate the historical record of the fonnats and codecs presented in audio on the Internet since 1990. This record is the base for knowledgement of the digital sonorous technological evolution that substantiate the analysis of the sound as resource of communication and art. From this analysis, vermes the function of the audio in the multimedia at Internet by perception of the users and evaluates the tendencies of use, so the sonorous trial of communication become more effective in the web / Mestrado / Mestre em Multimeios

M.Ed. (Media Science) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Literacy is an invaluable asset to have, and has allowed for communication, documentation and the spreading of ideas since the beginning of the written language. With technological advancements, and new possibilities to communicate, it is important to question the degree to which people’s abilities to utilise these new methods have developed in relation to these emerging technologies. The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to analyse the state of students’ at Dalarna University mulitimodal literacy, as well as their experience of multimodality in their education. This has led to the two main research questions: What is the state of the students at Dalarna University multimodal literacy? And: How have the students at Dalarna University experienced multimodality in education? The paper is based on a mixed-method study that incorporates both a quantitative and qualitative aspect to it. The main thrust of the research paper is, however, based on a quantitative study that was conducted online and emailed to students via their program coordinators. The scope of the research is in audio-visual modes, i.e. audio, video and images, while textual literacy is presumed and serves as an inspiration to the study. The purpose of the study is to analyse the state of the students’ multimodal literacy and their experience of multimodality in education. The study revealed that the students at Dalarna University have most skill in image editing, while not being very literate in audio or video editing. The students seem to have had mediocre experience creating meaning through multimodality both in private use and in their respective educational institutions. The study also reveals that students prefer learning by means of video (rather than text or audio), yet are not able to create meaning (communicate) through it.

This thesis in computer science aimed to evaluate the suitability of the Web Audio API to implement virtual analog synthesizers. In order to do so a method for producing a reference architecture for analog synthesizers and a categorization and point system for the evaluation were developed. A reference architecture were made and then implemented with the API and the evaluation were then made based on that implementation. The API were found to cover a lot of the necessary areas, but lacking in a few key components; a noise generator, a native way to automate custom numeric properties and the implementation of the oscillator were deemed too closed to support all use cases.

This thesis concerns audio courses as the means of teaching of foreign languages. In the theoretical part, it deals with historical context of language audio courses. By way of describing the development of teaching methods (grammar-translation method, direct method and audio-lingual method in particular), it presents main principles of audio courses. Due to the main target group of language audio courses in general and also the audio course of Czech for foreigners that was created as a project to this thesis, it also deals with A1 language level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. In the practical part, it concerns with analysis of three audio courses - the Berlitz's Češkij jazyk: bazovyj kurs, the Pimsleur's Speak and Read Essential Czech and the new project audio course. The last mentioned audio course was pretested and the results are provided in form of case studies. Key words audio course, audiolingual method, Berlitz, Czech for foreigners, Pimsleur, direct method

La stéganographie numérique est une technique récente qui a émergé comme une source importante pour la sécurité des données. Elle consiste à envoyer secrètement et de manière fiable des informations dissimulées et non pas seulement à masquer leur présence. Elle exploite les caractéristiques des fichiers médias numériques anodins, tels que l’image, le son et la vidéo,et les utilise comme support pour véhiculer des informations secrète d’une façon inaperçue. Les techniques de cryptage et de tatouage sont déjà utilisées pour résoudre les problèmes liés à la sécurité des données. Toutefois,l’évolution des tentatives d’interception et de déchiffrement des données numériques nécessitent de nouvelles techniques pour enrayer les tentatives malveillantes et d’élargir le champ des applications y associées. L’objectif principal des systèmes stéganographiques consiste à fournir de nouveaux moyens sécurisés, indétectables et imperceptibles pour dissimuler des données.La stéganographie est utilisée sous l’hypothèse qu’elle ne sera pas détectée si personne n’essaye de la découvrir. Les techniques récentes destéganographie ont déjà été employées dans diverses applications. La majorité de ces applications ont pour objectif d’assurer la confidentialité des données.D’autres par contre sont utilisées malicieusement. L’utilisation de la stéganographie à des fins criminelles, de terrorisme, d’espionnage ou de piraterie constitue une menace réelle. Ces tentatives malveillantes de communiquer secrètement ont récemment conduit les chercheurs à inclure une nouvelle branche de recherche: la stéganalyse, pour contrer les techniques stéganographique. L’objectif principal de la stéganalyse est de détecter la résence potentielle d’un message dissimulé dans un support numérique et ne considère pas nécessairement son extraction. La parole numérique constitue un terrain de prédilection pour dissimuler des données numériques. En effet, elle est présente en abondance grâce aux technologies de télécommunications fixes ou mobiles et aussi à travers divers moyens de stockage de l’audio numérique. Cette thèse étudie la stéganographie et la stéganalyse utilisant la voix numérisée comme support et vise à (1) présenter un algorithme qui répond aux exigences des systèmes stéganographiques reliées à la capacité élevée, l’indétectabilité et l’imperceptibilité des données dissimulées, (2) le contrôle de la distorsion induite par le processus de dissimulation des données (3) définir un nouveau concept de zones spectrales dans le domaine de Fourier utilisant et l’amplitude et la phase (4) introduire un nouveau algorithme de stéganalyse basé sur les techniques de compression sans pertes d’information à la fois simple et efficace. La performance de l’algorithme stéganographique est mesurée par des méthodes d’évaluation perceptuelles et statistiques. D’autre part, la performance de l’algorithme de stéganalyse est mesurée par la capacité du système à distinguer entre un signal audio pur et un signal audio stéganographié. Les résultats sont très prometteurs et montrent des compromis de performance intéressants par rapport aux méthodes connexes. Les travaux futurs incluent essentiellement le renforcement de l’algorithme de stéganalyse pour qu’il soit en mesure de détecter une faible quantité de données dissimulées. Nous planifions également l’intégration de notre algorithme de stéganographie dans certaines plateformes émergentes telles que l’iPhone. D’autres perspectives consistent à améliorer l’algorithme stéganographique pour que les données dissimulées soit résistantes au codage de la parole, au bruit et à la distorsion induits parles canaux de transmission. / Digital steganography is a young flourishing science emerged as a prominent source of data security. The primary goal of steganography is to reliably send hidden information secretly, not merely to obscure its presence. It exploits the characteristics of digital media files such as: image, audio, video, text by utilizing them as carriers to secretly communicate data. Encryption and watermarking techniques are already used to address concerns related to datasecurity. However, constantly-changing attacks on the integrity of digital data require new techniques to break the cycle of malicious attempts and expand the scope of involved applications. The main objective of steganographic systems is to provide secure, undetectable and imperceptible ways to conceal high-rate of data into digital medium. Steganography is used under the assumption that it will not be detected if no one is attempting to uncover it. Steganography techniques have found their way into various and versatile applications. Some of these applications are used for the benefit of people others are used maliciously. The threat posed by criminals, hackers, terrorists and spies using steganography is indeed real. To defeat malicious attempts when communicating secretly, researchers’ work has been lately extended toinclude a new and parallel research branch to countermeasure steganagraphy techniques called steganalysis. The main purpose of steganalysis technique is to detect the presence or not of hidden message and does not consider necessarily its successful extraction. Digital speech, in particular, constitutes a prominent source of data-hiding across novel telecommunication technologies such as covered voice-over-IP, audio conferencing, etc. This thesis investigatesdigital speech steganography and steganalysis and aims at: (1) presenting an algorithm that meets high data capacity, undetectability and imperceptibility requirements of steganographic systems, (2) controlling the distortion induced by the embedding process (3) presenting new concepts of spectral embedding areas in the Fourier domain which is applicable to magnitude and phase spectrums and (4) introducing a simple yet effective speech steganalysis algorithm based on lossless data compression techniques. The steganographic algorithm’s performance is measured by perceptual and statistical evaluation methods. On the other hand, the steganalysis algorithm’s performance is measured by how well the system can distinguish between stego- and cover-audio signals. The results are very promising and show interesting performance tradeoffs compared to related methods. Future work is based mainly on strengthening the proposed steganalysis algorithm to be able to detect small hiding capacity. As for our steganographic algorithm, we aim at integrating our steganographic in some emerging devices such as iPhone and further enhancing the capabilities of our steganographic algorithm to ensure hidden-data integrity under severe compression, noise and channel distortion.

Ce travail de thèse (CIFRE, Renault) porte sur la conception, le développement et la pré-industrialisation d'un nouveau type de moteur de haut-parleur sans fer utilisant des plasto-aimants, permettant à la fois de réduire très nettement la distorsion due au moteur, ainsi que d'alléger le haut-parleur grâce à une optimisation de la masse magnétique utile.Après un rappel sur le fonctionnement du haut-parleur, sa modélisation, les différentes non-linéarités qui lui sont propres, et plus particulièrement celles liées au moteur du haut-parleur, le manuscrit présente ensuite une nouvelle structure de moteur de haut-parleur tout aimant réalisée en plasto-aimant. Plusieurs mesures réalisées sur un prototype et sur le même haut-parleur équipé du moteur standard permettent de vérifier les attentes théoriques et de quantifier les avantages et les inconvénients de ce nouveau type de moteur. Ce prototype a été réalisé sur la base d'un haut-parleur automobile standard sur lequel le moteur a été changé. Le moteur a été réalisé par Paulstra/Hutchinson puis assemblé par Faital S.p.A., deux fournisseurs automobiles certifiés. Les méthodes utilisées pour réaliser ce prototype pourraient être directement dérivées pour une production en série. / This PhD work (CIFRE, Renault) deals with the conception, development and pre-industrialization of a new kind of ironless loudspeaker motor using bonded magnets, allowing to highly reduct the distortion due to the motor, as well as making the loudspeaker lighter thanks to an optimization of the useful magnetic mass.After reminding the general laws that describe the functioning of a loudspeaker, the different intrinsic non-linearities, and more particularly those directly linked to the loudspeaker motor, this thesis presents a new ironless structure made of bonded magnet that we developed during these three years. A complete theoretical study of this new structure, presenting the magnetic model and the design of the motor, is proposed and completed with several measurements realized on a prototype and on the standard loudspeaker in order to verify the theoretical expectations, with regard to harmonic and intermodulation distortion reduction, and quantify the advantages and disadvantages of this new kind of motor. This prototype was based on the design of a standard automotive loudspeaker on which the motor was replaced by a bonded magnet motor. The motor was fabricated by Paulstra/Hutchinson and then assembled on the loudspeaker by Faital S.p.A., both of whom are certified automotive suppliers. The methods used to realize this prototype could be directly derivated for mass production. This PhD work is used by the people in charge of the development of this technology with a view to a potential industrialization for mass market.