Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMTThis page gives you an overview of the institute's equipment. Fraunhofer IDMT is equipped with state-of-the-art acoustical laboratories that allow varied acoustical measurements and the further development of audio rendering processes and technologies.
Equipment
Tabbed contents
Ilmenau
3D Presentation Room
This special laboratory is intended for developing spatial audio-visual systems as well as for research on audio-visual perception.
- Room acoustics according to recommendation ITU-R BS. 1116-1
- 3D active stereo projector (3-chip DLP projector with 6,500 ansi lumen light power, SXGA+ resolution)
- Acoustically transparent screen for coupling with audio playout systems
- Trussing system with 80 mobile speaker fixtures
- Optical tracking system with 6 infrared cameras and a PC incl. control software
- Mobile absorber boards
- Scaleable multichannel speaker system with up to 650 single speakers
- Signal input via control room or network possible
- Loudspeaker wall
Wave Studio
This fixed sound system is used for further development of spatial audio output technologies based on Wave Field Synthesis.
- Sound system with 88 tweeters and midrange speakers and 4 subwoofers
- Room acoustics according to recommendation ITU-R BS. 1116-1
- Video screen and beamer
- Signal input also via external control room or network possible (12 x 64 audio channels via LWL + 12 XLR)
- Transmission media KVM, Cat6, LWL, XLR, BNC, DSub9 and Midi (flexible setup of further lines possible)
Testing and Measuring Lab
This state-of-the-art measuring lab allows independent electrical and acoustic measurements of audio hardware and measurements for quality evaluation under standard conditions.
- Room acoustics according to recommendation ITU-R BS. 1116-1
- 5.1 Surround Setup by Klein+Hummel (O500C, O900 with KPA 2220, ProM1012)
- mobile absorber boards
- Signal input also via external control room and network possible (10 x 64 audio channels via LWL + 12 XLR)
- Transmission media KVM, Cat6, LWL, XLR, BNC, DSub9 and Midi (flexible setup of further lines possible)
Anechoic Room
Our institute has an anechoic room that is among the most modern of its kind in Germany. Because of its size, equipment and frequency spectrum, it is ideally suited for precise acoustic measurements and listening tests.
- Usable size: 9.3 m long, 4.9 m wide, 7.2 m high
- Precision method (according to DIN EN ISO 3745)
- Lower cut-off frequency: 63 Hz, upper cut-off frequency: 20 Hz
- ELF – loudspeaker turning device for Balloon Measurement
- Loudspeaker Turntable Bruel&Kjaer Type 9640
- Microphone Cableway MSB (Norsonic)
- Setting up of steel grating is possible
- 105 holding fixtures at the walls (max. gross load hauled 100 kg)
- 36 holding fixtures at the ceiling (max. gross load hauled 100 kg)
- Video-surveillance
Printed Circuit Board Lab
In the Printed Circuit Board lab, printed circuit board prototypes for demonstrators and measuring devices can be manufactured in a short time with consistently high quality.
Equipment:
- Design workstation: circuit development and simulation; CAD programs for PCB production
- Circuit board plotter: Milling of copper-coated conductors with 150um spacing; drilling and milling of two-sided boards without through-hole plating
- Screen and stencil printer: application of solder paste on the board with the help of a paste screen; even distribution of the solder paste on the solder surfaces
- Manual pick and place machine: placement of the components with support from gripper arm and cameras (ball grid array placement also possible); several options for providing the components
- Reflow oven: baking of components to reduce humidity; soldering of assembled boards
- Soldering workstation: soldering of components that are not suitable for the soldering oven; desoldering of small components with hot air soldering irons; resoldering and repairs.
- Measuring workstation: Power supply and oscilloscope for commissioning and setting prototype parameters
Oldenburg
Sound Technologies Lab
Communication Acoustics Simulator
With the unique Simulator the acoustics of nearly every listening room can be simulated. The acoustic parameters of this room – reverb time and acoustic room size – can be changed and virtual sound sources can be placed inside. This way, acoustic characteristics of office buildings, cathedrals, concert halls and even train stations and bathrooms can be simulated. The room can be used for research projects that require definite, variable acoustic room characteristics and specific background noise situations.
- 93 m2
- electronic acoustic VRAS (Variable Room Acoustic System) for generating different reverberation and early reflection patterns
variably set reverberation time of approx. 0.4 s to 6 s
- Audiosignal matrix (LCS) with special DSP hard- and software
- 16 microphones fixed invisibly to the ceiling
- 24 loudspeaker channels (12 for reverberation, 12 for early reflection)
- Subwoofer for low-frequency extension and for dolby surround input in VRAS
- 8 input channels for surround noise scenarios and dolby surround performances
- Connectors and patch fields for temporary microphones and loudspeakers
- Audiovisual media equipment
- Induction system for the hearing impaired
Equipment for User Studies
- Video lab with one-way window
- Eye tracking recorders
- Neurophysiological measurements of cognitive stress by electroencephalography (EEG)
- mobile, wireless 24-channel EEG
- Neuropsychological test batteries for testing hearing capability, memory and executive functions
Evaluation Study
User-Centered Design
EEG Study
Audiometric Booths
A total of nine acoustic measuring booths with a size of 3 to 29 m2 are available to the Institute for acoustic analysis. In addition to psychoacoustic fundamental research, the booths can also be used for measuring standard-audiometric parameters as well as complex free range setups and ERA/OAE devices.
Audiometric Booth at the House of Hearing
Anechoic Room
Anechoic Room
Because of its size, equipment and frequency characteristic our anechoic room is ideally suited for precise acoustic measurements and psycho-acoustic tests. Additional Equipment is available for accurate sound-source localization experiments.
- lower cut-off frequency 50 Hz
- level of background noise lower than hearing threshold
- spring supported absorber wedges (1.5 m long) to avoid frequency vibrations of 5 Hz and higher
- Equipped for multi-channel playout and audio recording
Echo Chamber
Ausstattung Hallraum
This echo chamber has been built at the Institute of Technical and Applied Physics GmbH (itap) at Oldenburg University. It is a standard size echo chamber that is used for research by Fraunhofer IDMT. In this chamber, acoustic features of materials and components are analyzed and the sound power is measured in machine acoustics.
- 200 m2
- Planning and calculation of acoustic conditions of rooms (DIN 18041) and buildings (DIN 4109)
- Inspection and evaluation of airborne sound insulation of walls, ceilings and other components according to DIN EN ISO 140 and DIN EN ISO 717
- Inspection and evaluation of impact sound insulation of ceilings according to DIN EN ISO 140 and DIN EN ISO 717
- Measurement of room acoustic parameters
- Measurement sound absorption of components and materials in echo chamber according to DIN EN ISO 354
Wind Tunnel
Fraunhofer IDMT uses the wind tunnel of the Oldenburg University to analyze influences of air flow on audio systems, e. g. on multimedia and communication devices worn at ones body.
- Construction type: open measuring section, closed circuit; "Göttingen Type"
- Speed: max. 50 m/s
- Intensity of turbulence: under 0.3 %
- Beam width: 1.0 m x 0.8 m
- Drive: Radial fan with DC motor 77 kW
- Flow measuring technology: 2D laser Doppler anemometer (LDA), hot wire anemometer, miniature-fan anemometer, acoustic turbulence probes, particle-image-velocimetry (PIV)
- Acoustic measurement equipment: directional microphone array; in-flow measurements with flow microphones; correlation procedures for pseudo sound suppression
Further Equipment
- Usability lab with video and analysis equipment (TU Ilmenau)
- Multimedia studio equipment (TU Ilmenau)
- Listening lab according to BS standard 1116 (TU Ilmenau)
Acoustics
- Measurement equipment and tools for sound field analysis, vibration measurement, array measurement and analysis of absorption characteristics
- Kundt's tube AFD 1000 for measuring sound reflexion, transmission and absorption
- Klippel R&D system with scanning vibrometer for measuring loudspeakers
- Software for measuring loudspeakers (Monkey Forest, MLSSA)
- Klein+Hummel 5.1 surround setup (K+H O500C, K+H O 900, K+H Pro M1012)
- Standard measuring system Soundbook MK2 with SAMURAI 2.0
- Sound intensity probe Gefell SIS 90
- Multi channel measuring system (64 channels, Akustik Technologie Göttingen with si++ Workbench)
- Dodekaeder Outline Globe Source with subwoofer and GSA
- Globe Amp (sound source for room acoustic measurements)
- Measuring microphones (Gefell MK221, Gefell M360, Earthworks M30BX, Earthworks M30)
- Audio Analyzer Rohde und Schwarz UPL/UPD
- Digital oszilloscope (4 Tektronix TDS 3054B, 1 Tektronix TDS 7104)
- Headphones (Stax Lambda Pro, AKG 701, AKG 274, Sennheiser HD600, Sennheiser HD280, Beyerdynamic DT 770, Beyerdynamic DT 880)
- Head simulator Cortex Instruments Manikin MK2
- NTI Acoustilyzer, Analyzer XL2, Minirator MR Pro, Digilyzer DL 1,
- Diriator DR2
- PA loudspeakers (Alcons Audio LR14, Kling & Freitag CA106, GAE BR118)
- Audio editing suite (28 channels ProTools)
- Noise planning software Soundplan
- Loudspeaker development software LEAP 5, LspCAD
- Room simulation software EASE, ULYSSES
- Laser Scanning Vibrometer Polytec PSV-400
- FEM simulation software Comsol Multiphysics