Head-Related Transfer Function Selection Using Neural Networks

In binaural audio systems, for an optimal virtual acoustic space a set of head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) should be used that closely matches the listener’s ones. This study aims to select the most appropriate HRTF dataset from a large database for users without the need for extensive listen...

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Main Authors: Shu-Nung YAO, Tim COLLINS, Chaoyun LIANG
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute of Fundamental Technological Research Polish Academy of Sciences 2017-07-01
Series:Archives of Acoustics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://acoustics.ippt.pan.pl/index.php/aa/article/view/1841
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author Shu-Nung YAO
Tim COLLINS
Chaoyun LIANG
author_facet Shu-Nung YAO
Tim COLLINS
Chaoyun LIANG
author_sort Shu-Nung YAO
collection DOAJ
description In binaural audio systems, for an optimal virtual acoustic space a set of head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) should be used that closely matches the listener’s ones. This study aims to select the most appropriate HRTF dataset from a large database for users without the need for extensive listening tests. Currently, there is no way to reliably reduce the number of datasets to a smaller, more manageable number without risking discarding potentially good matches. A neural network that estimates the appropriateness of HRTF datasets based on input vectors of anthropometric measurements is proposed. The shapes and sizes of listeners’ heads and pinnas were measured using digital photography; the measured anthropometric parameters form the feature vectors used by the neural network. A graphical user interface (GUI) was developed for participants to listen to music transformed using different HRTFs and to evaluate the fitness of each HRTF dataset. The listening scores recorded were the target outputs used to train the neural networks. The aim was to learn a mapping between anthropometric parameters and listener’s perception scores. Experimental validations were performed on 30 subjects. It is demonstrated that the proposed system produces a much more reliable HRTF selection than previously used methods.
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spelling doaj-art-3f9da78bb5394f0da16e88b267e6a40f2025-08-20T03:33:19ZengInstitute of Fundamental Technological Research Polish Academy of SciencesArchives of Acoustics0137-50752300-262X2017-07-0142310.1515/aoa-2017-0038Head-Related Transfer Function Selection Using Neural NetworksShu-Nung YAO0Tim COLLINS1Chaoyun LIANG2National Taipei UniversityManchester Metropolitan UniversityNational Taiwan UniversityIn binaural audio systems, for an optimal virtual acoustic space a set of head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) should be used that closely matches the listener’s ones. This study aims to select the most appropriate HRTF dataset from a large database for users without the need for extensive listening tests. Currently, there is no way to reliably reduce the number of datasets to a smaller, more manageable number without risking discarding potentially good matches. A neural network that estimates the appropriateness of HRTF datasets based on input vectors of anthropometric measurements is proposed. The shapes and sizes of listeners’ heads and pinnas were measured using digital photography; the measured anthropometric parameters form the feature vectors used by the neural network. A graphical user interface (GUI) was developed for participants to listen to music transformed using different HRTFs and to evaluate the fitness of each HRTF dataset. The listening scores recorded were the target outputs used to train the neural networks. The aim was to learn a mapping between anthropometric parameters and listener’s perception scores. Experimental validations were performed on 30 subjects. It is demonstrated that the proposed system produces a much more reliable HRTF selection than previously used methods.https://acoustics.ippt.pan.pl/index.php/aa/article/view/1841head-related transfer functionneural networkslocalizationmusicaudioanthropometry
spellingShingle Shu-Nung YAO
Tim COLLINS
Chaoyun LIANG
Head-Related Transfer Function Selection Using Neural Networks
Archives of Acoustics
head-related transfer function
neural networks
localization
music
audio
anthropometry
title Head-Related Transfer Function Selection Using Neural Networks
title_full Head-Related Transfer Function Selection Using Neural Networks
title_fullStr Head-Related Transfer Function Selection Using Neural Networks
title_full_unstemmed Head-Related Transfer Function Selection Using Neural Networks
title_short Head-Related Transfer Function Selection Using Neural Networks
title_sort head related transfer function selection using neural networks
topic head-related transfer function
neural networks
localization
music
audio
anthropometry
url https://acoustics.ippt.pan.pl/index.php/aa/article/view/1841
work_keys_str_mv AT shunungyao headrelatedtransferfunctionselectionusingneuralnetworks
AT timcollins headrelatedtransferfunctionselectionusingneuralnetworks
AT chaoyunliang headrelatedtransferfunctionselectionusingneuralnetworks