Holographic audio : towards a physical approach to spatial sound

Abstract

This paper presents research into holographic and three-dimensional audio, drawing upon principles derived from visual holography to explore new possibilities for spatial sound reproduction. Existing approaches to 3D audio including binaural audio, surround sound, Dolby Atmos, higher-order ambisonics, and wave field synthesis, each carry inherent limitations, whether in terms of listener localisation, sweet-spot dependency, or the constraints of headphone-only delivery. This research proposes a departure from conventional paradigms by engaging with the physical nature of sound itself. Through a series of experiments encompassing impulse response recording, optical tracking, wave field synthesis, higher-order ambisonics, and structure-borne sound, the project progressively evolved towards a material and architectural understanding of spatial audio. The research further explores the notion of sonic objects; three-dimensional forms constructed entirely through sound, and their relationship to acoustic levitation and sonic propulsion. The paper concludes by outlining a future direction grounded in physical wave field synthesis, 3Dprinted speaker manipulation, and the reconstruction of aural scenes through simultaneously installed sonic objects in space.