1Laboratory of Acoustics, Department of Physics, School of Science, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 2State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building Science, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 3Telecommunication College, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876
Calculation and Analysis of Near-Field Head-Related Transfer Functions from a Simplified Head-Neck-Torso Model
1Laboratory of Acoustics, Department of Physics, School of Science, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 2State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building Science, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 3Telecommunication College, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876
摘要To evaluate the overall effect of the neck and torso on the head-related transfer function (HRTF), a simplified head-neck-torso (HNT) model, which consists of a spherical head, spherical torso and cylindrical neck, is proposed and the corresponding HRTFs are calculated using the boundary element method (BEM). The results indicate that the HRTF magnitudes for the HNT model are different from those of the existing spherical head-and-torso model (HAT) above 0.5 kHz, especially in the near-field and contralateral region. The discrepancy in the HRTF magnitudes leads to a discrepancy in the interaural level differences (ILDs) for the HNT and HAT models, which reaches a level of ±10 dB at source distance of 0.2 m. As the source distance increases, the discrepancy in the results of the HNT and HAT models reduces. Measurement on practical HNT and HAT models validates the analysis. Therefore, the neck influences near-field HRTFs and should be included in the near-field HRTF calculation.
Abstract：To evaluate the overall effect of the neck and torso on the head-related transfer function (HRTF), a simplified head-neck-torso (HNT) model, which consists of a spherical head, spherical torso and cylindrical neck, is proposed and the corresponding HRTFs are calculated using the boundary element method (BEM). The results indicate that the HRTF magnitudes for the HNT model are different from those of the existing spherical head-and-torso model (HAT) above 0.5 kHz, especially in the near-field and contralateral region. The discrepancy in the HRTF magnitudes leads to a discrepancy in the interaural level differences (ILDs) for the HNT and HAT models, which reaches a level of ±10 dB at source distance of 0.2 m. As the source distance increases, the discrepancy in the results of the HNT and HAT models reduces. Measurement on practical HNT and HAT models validates the analysis. Therefore, the neck influences near-field HRTFs and should be included in the near-field HRTF calculation.
[1] Xie B S 2008 Head Related Transfer Function and Virtual Auditory (Beijing: National Defence Industry Press) (in Chinese)
[2] Duda R O and Martens W L 1998 J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 104 3048
[3] Yu G Z, Xie B S and Rao D 2008 Chin. Phys. Lett. 25 2926
[4] Algazi V R et al 2002 J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 112 2053
[5] Treeby B E, Paurobally R M and Pan J 2007 Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Auditory Display p 79
[6] Gumerov N A and Duraiswami R 2002 J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 112 2688
[7] Ise S and Otani M Proceedings of the 2002 International Conference on Auditory Display p 02-1
2012, Vol. 29 
