Real 3D audio
Essentially, 3D audio offers the experience of a three-dimensional acoustic environment, while sound is produced though headphones or just a single pair of loudspeaker. 3D audio is known through its entertainment applications, and for creating an immersing acoustic environment. It can also be much more than that - if properly done, 3D audio enables accurate localization of (virtual) sound sources.
Listeners respond intuitively the the perceived direction of sound. Spatial separation of audio source, auditory sound beacons, advanced auditory displays - the possibilities are endless. Potential applications of 3D audio include
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Spatial source separation - multiple audio channels are presented from different directions
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Speech intelligibility enhancement - improve overall intelligibility by spatially separating different sources
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Threat warnings - present not only a warning signal, but also inherently indicate the associated direction