Challenges in AI-based Environmental and Industrial Sound Analysis
Organized by: Jakob Abeßer (University of Bamberg/Fraunhofer IDMT), Sascha Grollmisch and Joachim Bös I March 25, 2026 I 8.40 a.m.
This session explores the expanding role of AI in environmental and industrial sound analysis. It highlights the application of machine listening techniques—such as sound event detection and localization, acoustic scene classification, and anomaly detection—in emerging scenarios, including acoustic smart cities, logistics monitoring, bioacoustics, and industrial sound classification for processes like welding and milling.
Submissions may include original research, system demonstrations, short tutorials, or overview presentations. The session places particular emphasis on the challenges posed by complex, real-world soundscapes, where variability and noise create significant barriers to robust interpretation.
Music Information Retrieval (MIR)
Organized by: Stefan Balke (AudioLabs Erlangen) & Jakob Abeßer (Universität Bamberg/Fraunhofer IDMT) & Meinard Müller (AudioLabs Erlangen) I March 26, 2026 I 8.40 a.m.
Music Information Retrieval (MIR) has evolved into a vibrant interdisciplinary field at the intersection of computer science, acoustics, and musicology. At its core, MIR addresses fundamental challenges in accessing, understanding, and interacting with music across diverse formats and data modalities. This session brings together researchers working on both foundational and applied aspects of MIR, with a focus on music processing, audio signal processing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Topics include deep learning techniques for raw audio analysis, hybrid and explainable modeling, the integration of musical domain knowledge into data-driven approaches, and the use of specialized music corpora for cross-disciplinary applications.
Höranstrengung in alltäglichen Kommunikationssituationen (Listening effort in everyday communication situations)
Organized by: Julia Seitz (RWTH Aachen) & Jan Rennies-Hochmuth I March 26, 2026 I 8.40 a.m.
The session draws a current, interdisciplinary picture of factors that shape listening effort in everyday communication situations. An emphasis is placed on the extent to which different teaching methods influence speech intelligibility and the subjective, physiological, and behavioral listening effort of children, taking into account individual factors such as socioeconomic background and acoustic conditions. Other contributions focus on head and eye movements in cases of hearing difficulties and listening effort in realistic virtual environments. Miscommunication is also discussed as a possible indirect measure of listening effort.
Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT