Auralisation in digital heritage

Computer visualisation is often used in archaeology, history and cultural heritage to render particular scenes or buildings and aims to offer an additional understanding, insight or experience of a past environment, as well as more effective audience engagement. However, the sound design used in such examples often does not compare with the high quality visual images. If used well, music and sound design can engage the imagination and provide important additional auditory information about a virtual environment and is common practice in film and game audio. Architectural acoustic modelling is able to provide plausibile virtual acoustic environments, real-time audio walk-throughs and virtual reality renderings in a consultancy and design context - how might these methods be used effectively to reconstruct the sound of historic environments? What can we learn about a historic building, place or environment from how it sounds? How successful are acoustic models in recreating the sound of existing historic sites and how might these results be reliably calibrated and so extended to sites that no longer exist?

Entry requirements:

Candidates should have (or expect to obtain) a minimum of a UK upper second class honours degree (2.1) or equivalent in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Music Technology or a closely related subject.

How to apply:

Applicants should apply via the University’s online application system at https://www.york.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/apply/. Please read the application guidance first so that you understand the various steps in the application process.