Sound Lab: A Real-Time, Software-Based System for the Study of Spatial Hearing

Abstract

This paper describes Sound Lab (SLAB): a software-based, real-time virtual audio rendering system designed to work in the personal computer environment using a standard signal-processing library. SLAB is being developed as a tool for the study of spatial hearing. The system takes advantage of the low-cost PC platform while providing a flexible, maintainable, and extensible architecture to enable the quick development of experiments. The current capabilities and dynamic behavior of the SLAB system are described from the point of view of the psychoacoustician user.