Titled “A Virtual Reality Interface for the Creation of 3D Spatial Audio Trajectories” [JAES, Vol. 73, No. 7/8], the paper introduces SonoSpatia, a virtual reality (VR) system designed to revolutionize how composers and sound designers create and manipulate spatial audio paths in three dimensions.

The study brought together researchers from McGill University, the University of Trento, and the Conservatory of Pescara to explore how gesture-based interaction in VR could improve the creative workflow of spatial audio design. In a user study with 12 expert practitioners, the authors compared the VR system to established digital audio workstation (DAW) tools, including ControlGRIS, SpatGRIS, and Reaper.

Key findings include:

• Higher engagement, expressiveness, and absorption in the creative process when using VR compared to conventional tools.

• Despite enhanced experience, users exhibited similar interaction patterns across platforms, suggesting intuitive transfer between VR and DAW-based methods.

• While fine-tuning in VR presents some challenges, participants reported increased satisfaction and creative potential with the immersive interface.

This work demonstrates the potential of VR to expand embodied interaction in spatial audio composition, offering new avenues for exploration in immersive media, interactive music technologies, and virtual performance environments.

? Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.17743/jaes.2022.0215