A mixed-order modeling approach for head-related transfer function in the spherical harmonic domain. (May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Junfeng; Wu, Biao; Yao, Dingding; Yan, Yonghong
• Is Part Of: Applied acoustics. Volume 176(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-05
• Subjects: Head-related transfer function -- Spherical harmonics -- Mixed-order modeling; Acoustical engineering -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 620.2
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apacoust.2020.107828
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-682X

Abstract

Abstract: Head-related transfer function (HRTF) contains all the relevant cues that humans rely on to perceive the direction of a sound source, and its modeling has been widely studied in the past years. Motivated by the different degree of fluctuations in HRTF magnitude spectrum across frequency, in this paper, a mixed-order modeling approach in the spherical harmonic domain is proposed in which HRTF magnitude spectrum with low fluctuation is modeled by the low-order spherical harmonics and that with high fluctuation is modeled by the high-order spherical harmonics. Furthermore, a data-driven optimization approach is presented to determine the transition frequency that separates HRTF magnitude spectrum into two ranges with different degrees of fluctuations. The effectiveness of the proposed mixed-order modeling approach is examined using FABIAN HRTF database through listening tests. Results show that this mixed-order modeling approach enables to reduce the order of spherical harmonics to 8 in the low frequencies and 18 in the high frequencies without perceptual degradation in sound quality and localization.