Zylia’s test setup for 6 Degrees of Freedom audio (6DoF) is based on 53, 3rd order Ambisonics microphone arrays in five layers, to create a full immersion of the listeners.

Zylia is introducing a six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) multi-level microphone arrays installation for navigable live recorded audio. The technology gives people the possibility to listen to a concert or live performance from any point in the audio scene.  For the sound engineer, it means the possibility to record the live audio scenes from different points of the space – for example, the center of the stage, from the middle of a string quartet, audience, or backstage. Audio recorded in such a way can be used together with virtual reality projections and allow the user to freely move around the space giving the natural experience of audio scene and the possibility to listen to it from different perspectives.

The technology allows creators to explore 6 Degrees of Freedom audio (6DoF), one of the latest trends in the development of Augmented / Virtual Reality projects, as it enables users to experience 3D audio-video content in the virtual space by introducing unlimited number of vantage and listening points. In fact, 6DoF audio gives the user a possibility to navigate through three-dimensional space freely by rotating or translating their position, a key sensorial element in Virtual Reality.

53 Ambisonics microphone arrays

However, to experience the feeling of “full immersion” in the virtual world, a high-level image must be followed by the realistic sound. While image-related technologies evolved fast in VR, sound was left behind, leading to a discrepancy between what is seen and heard, in some projects. Zylia has made the first attempts to show that real 6DoF sound can be captured, and continues to develop solutions that offer a more realistic sound.

Zylia built a test setup consisting of 53, 3rd order Ambisonics microphone arrays in five layers. Microphones were connected with USB cables to a laptop.  Music recordings made with such a setup allowed to freely move in every direction of the recorded scene and obtain a truly immersive experience.

Available for creative teams

“Applications of such system are wide. I can name a few – cinematic trailers for VR projects, naturally sounded audio for games, live performances recording, artistic audio content for domes with multi-loudspeakers installations.” Says Tomasz Żernicki, Chief Technology Officer, Zylia. “Our 6DoF VR/AR Development Kit gives users full freedom in experimenting with different spatial arrangements of ZYLIA ZM-1 recording devices,” added Żernicki. “A complete solution for 6DoF capture, recording, and control, this new offering helps users to streamline and optimize the capture of 3D audio for virtual reality and augmented reality applications.”

The system is available for creative teams of audio engineers and sound artists as a ZYLIA 6DoF VR/AR Development Kit. Further information about Zylia and the company’s innovative 360-degree audio recording technology is available at the company’s website.