AVAR 2020 details announced
AVAR 2020 details announced
Preliminary details have been released by the AES about the upcoming international conference on Audio for Virtual and Augmented Reality. The exhibition moved online as a result of the pandemic and takes place from 17–19 August. It will serve as a hub for the latest research in the fields of spatial audio and technology for virtual, augmented and mixed reality, with a focus on technical solutions and recommended practices in the field.
“The necessity to take AVAR 2020 fully online is ideally suited to the conference content,” stated Matt Klassen, chair. “Our attendees can plug in entirely, create an avatar and participate and interact inside a virtual environment. One of the primary advantages of holding the conference in VR is the very compelling nature of the 3D audio for small group conversations – a big step up from flat screen teleconferencing.”
Co-chair and treasurer Lawrence Schwedler added: “Not only will AVAR 2020 explore practical and effective production workflows for audio production for immersive experiences, it will itself be such an experience and demonstrate an application of the technology that couldn’t be more timely.”
This year’s topics will include spatial audio capture, rendering, synthesis over headphones and loudspeakers, binaural applications, Ambisonics, 3D audio mixing and content production and sound design for VR/AR. In addition to this there is a featured panel discussion with Emily Ridgway of the Valve audio team on 18 August titled When Worlds Collide: Audio Development of the Valve Index and Half:Life Alyx.
Two further two keynote addresses will take place during the conference: New Audio Realities at Scale with Varun Nair of Facebook on 17 August and Empathetic Technology and Embodied User Experience with Poppy Crum of Dolby on 19 August.