Artificial heads are an indispensable tool for binaural sound recordings and measurements but most are “directionally rigid systems,” said HEAD, which poses challenges for engineers.
According to the German company, the new rotational head can provide a more realistic simulation of user experience by recreating how people change their head position when listening to something.
This head rotation changes the sound reception at the ear, meaning that listeners perceive sound differently.
HEAD’s move°S solution is an optional, software-controlled upgrade that can be retrofitted to all HEAD measurement systems HMS II.x and Head Shoulder Units (HSU) III from the 2021 generation onwards, the company said.
The upgrade allows for repeatable, high-precision motorized head rotation meaning that, for the first time, the head movements of a real person can be simulated realistically. The solution works “virtually silently” and can be used during measurement.
According to HEAD, the rotational head system is particularly useful for testing any applications with head tracking including virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) headsets, hands-free devices, and systems with directional behavior, such as multi-user conferencing systems