SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME

I3DA 2025 International Conference hosts 3 Plenary Lectures, Special Sessions, Oral Sessions and Poster Sessions and sound demos.

Soon more!

PLENARY LECTURES

We are delighted to announce that our keynote speakers this year will be: Jonathan Berger, Emma-Kate Matthews and Boaz Rafaely.

 

Boaz Rafaely is a Professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, where he leads the Acoustics Laboratory, conducting research in spatial audio signal processing. He has published over 200 papers in journals and conferences, and is the author of the book Fundamentals of Spherical Array Processing. Prof. Rafaely has previously served as Head of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at BGU, Chair of the Israeli Acoustical Association, and Chair of the Technical Committee on Audio Signal Processing of the European Acoustical Association. He has also been an associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Audio, Speech and Language Processing, IEEE Signal Processing Letters, and Acta Acustica.

 

 

 

Jonathan Berger is the Denning Family Provostial Professor in Music at Stanford University. Berger is a composer of a wide range of genres including opera, orchestral, chamber, end electroacoustic music. He is also an active researcher, with expertise in computational music theory, music perception and cognition, psychoacoustics, and sonification. He has published over 70 academic articles in a wide variety of fields relating to music, science, and technology, including relevant work in digital audio processing in Neuron, Frontiers in Psychology, andthe Journal of the Audio Engineering Society. Among his awards and commissions are the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Rome Prize, fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and commissions from Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, the 92nd Street Y, The Spoleto Festival, the Kronos Quartet, and others. Berger is the Principal Investigator of a major grant from the Templeton Religion Trust’s Art Seeking Understanding initiative, to study the interplay of architectural acoustics and musical and ritual sound.

Emma-Kate Matthews is an architect, composer, musician, and digital artist whose work explores the creative intersections of sonic and spatial practices. She specialises in producing site-specific, spatialised audio-visual projects that investigate creative reciprocities between sonic and spatial practices. Her compositions have been performed at internationally renowned venues, including the Sagrada Familia, the Southbank Centre, the Barbican, and the Brighton Festival. Notably, she composed for the London Symphony Orchestra’s prestigious Panufnik residency. As a solo artist, Emma-Kate has released a series of electronic-classical works on acclaimed labels such as Algebra, NMC, Musicity Global, and Accidental. Her music has been broadcast internationally on prominent platforms like BBC Radio 3, Resonance FM, and Tokyo Radio.

As a researcher and academic, Emma-Kate has contributed to influential publications, including Nature (HSSCOMMS) and Organised Sound (Cambridge University Press). She also served as lead editor for The Routledge Companion to the Sound of Space. In addition to her compositional work, Emma-Kate designs and creates her own instruments, known as Resonant Bodies. These innovative instruments explore dynamic relationships between sound and space, crafted using advanced digital modeling and manufacturing techniques. This project was nominated for both the Lumen Prize and the Aesthetica Art Prize in 2022 and was showcased at the Works+Words biennale in Copenhagen that same year. Website: https://www.ekm.works/

LIST OF SPECIAL SESSIONS (In progress…)

This session aims to investigate how acoustic modelling and virtual reality (VR), combined with advanced 3D audio technologies such as binaural audio and ambisonics, are transforming our understanding of the relationship between space, performance, and audience.

By exploring immersive and virtual reconstructions of historical performance spaces, this session aims to:

  • Analyse the acoustic properties of historical spaces and their impact on the perception and interpretation of music, theatre, dance, and opera.
  • Relive past performative events in an immersive way, experiencing the heritage acoustics of theatres, places of worship, and concert halls as they might have been.
  • Integrate the acoustic component into historical narratives, offering new perspectives on the evolution of musical styles, instruments, theatrical and choreographic techniques, and vocal performance practices.
  • Deepen our knowledge of sound space and historical soundscape, understanding how sound interacted with the environment, architecture, and human beings.

This research has implications for a wide range of fields, including architectural acoustics, psychoacoustics, and immersive soundscape design. Moreover, it can shed light on the evolution of musical performance practices, the use of sonic space for body movement, and the use of spoken and sung voice in historical performance spaces (e.g. ancient theatres, odeia, amphitheatres, cathedrals, etc.).

This session welcomes contributions that:

  • Present case studies, experiments, and innovative projects demonstrating the effectiveness of acoustic and virtual technologies for research and the enhancement of tangible and intangible heritage.
  • Explore the use of VR and 3D audio technologies for the analysis, reconstruction, and experience of historical performance spaces.
  • Investigate the development of new forms of immersive performance and audience engagement, and new creative inputs for musicians, dancers, singers, composers, and conductors.

This interdisciplinary approach, combining insights from heritage acoustics, sound studies, musical acoustics, vocal studies, and performance studies, will contribute to a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the history of music, theatre, dance, and opera.

Keywords: Historical Performance Spaces; Heritage Acoustics; Soundscape; Dancescape; Voicescape; Tangible and Intangible Heritage; Musical Acoustics; Architectural Acoustics; Aural Architecture.

Chairperson: Angela Bellia, National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Heritage Science

Bio:  Angela Bellia is a researcher at the CNR, Institute of Heritage Science. Her work concerns soundscape archaeology, aural architecture, sonic heritage, archaeoacoustics, archaeology of performances, sound studies, and archaeomusicology. After her research in mobility at the Institut für Archäologie in Zürich, at the École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris, she carried out her research at the Institute of Fine Arts at the New York University, devoting her attentions towards the reconstruction of the performative dimension of an ancient Greek polis. Thanks to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Programme – Individual Fellowships, she carried out her research devoting her attentions towards archaeology of sound and archaeoacoustics as new approaches to the study of intangible cultural heritage. She has been the Chair of the Italy Chapter and of the Events & Network Working Group of the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA). She also received the “MCAA Outstanding Contributor Award”. At present, she is the Chair of the Archaeomusicology Interest Group of the Archaeological Institute of America and the Principal Investigator of the project AURAL: Exploring the Potential of Immersive Virtual Reality for Experiencing Archaeological Soundscapes. Apart from a number of volumes and contributions in journals and edited volumes, she edited the special issues From Digitalisation and Virtual Reconstruction of Ancient Musical Instruments to Sound Heritage Simulation and Preservation (http://www.archcalc.cnr.it/journal/id.php?id=oai:www.archcalc.cnr.it/journal/A_C_oai_Archive.xml:1143) and Sonic Heritage: Sound and Multisensory Interactions in Immersive Virtual Reality and Cultural Heritage (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/heritage/special_issues/sonic_heritage) (with Eva Pietroni). Among her articles: Towards a Digital Approach to the Listening to Ancient Places: https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4030139 and Rediscovering the Intangible Heritage of Past Performative Spaces: Interaction between Acoustics, Performance, and Architecture: https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6010016 (with Antonella Bevilacqua). Angela Bellia is also editor in chief of TELESTES: An International Journal of Archaeomusicology and Archaeology of Sound (http://www.libraweb.net/promoriv.php?chiave=147)

To see her work: https://nationalacademies.academia.edu/AngelaBellia

The blending of advanced multichannel spatialized audio reproduction with virtual reality has granted the possibility to develop virtual scenes that either closely mimic real conditions or fit desired scenarios in a totally virtual paradigm. In parallel with these technological developments also a search for a fruitful and epistemologically valid way of employing such resources has been undertaken. Research in the areas of perception and cognition has thus been boosted, for instance in the study of the basic mechanisms by which audition functions, or in the study of various cognitive processes, from core executive functions such as memory and attention to more high level processes such as speech comprehension and reasoning. In addition, reaction of humans to peculiar or even critical audiovisual conditions can be based on similar premises.

This session aims to host presentations that deal with the design, implementation and use of advanced simulation platforms with special potentials on spatialized audio which are focused on, but not limited to, the areas of perception and cognition. Case studies that involve tests with target populations of different kind are welcomed as well as more methodological contributions on characteristics, efficacy and limits of the systems conceived for the various types of applications. Moreover, theoretical contributions on the conceptual framework by which ecological validity and systems’ layout are assessed are also within the scopes of the session.

Keywords: spatial sound, perception, cognition, ecological validity

Session Chair:

Nicola Prodi graduated cum laude in physics at the University of Bologna and earned the PhD at the University of Ferrara where he is now Associate Professor at the Department of Engineering. He is also teaching at the University of Padova and at the Conservatory of Music in Ferrara. His main research interests include both the physical aspects of sound in enclosures, such as propagation and interaction with acoustical materials, and the perceptual ones, that is how sound is received, interpreted and what are its effects on listeners. In particular his current studies concern psychoacoustics and sound spatialization, intelligibility of speech and listening effort and the effects of noise on cognitive and physiological processes. He is also studying noise in the context of multimodal interaction with other indoor environmental quality stressors.

This special session is focused on 3D audio systems in the automotive industry, with a focus on nonlinear acoustics.

The creation of an immersive sound experience in the car cabin aims to enhance sound reproduction, improve hand-free communication and produce targeted driver’s alerts. In addition, the car audio system could be affected by nonlinearities that must be taken into account for 3D measurements and simulations.

We are pleased to invite you to submit scientific contributions on the following topics but are not limited to:

  • Nonlinearities in 3D audio car systems.
  • Sound synthesis for electric cars and Active Vehicle Alert Systems (AVAS)
  • Active Noise Control (ANC) systems in automotive environments.
  • 3-DoF and 6-DoF auralization of car sound systems.
  • Algorithms and practical implementations of 3D audio techniques for personalized listening experiences in the car cabin.
  • 3D audio technology to provide the driver with precise directional information (Augmented Reality).

Chairpersons:

Daniel Pinardi received the M.S. degree (cum laude) in mechanical engineering from the University of Parma, Italy, in July 2016, with a thesis on loudspeaker modeling, and the Ph.D. degree in industrial engineering from the University of Parma, in March 2020, with a thesis on the design of microphone, hydrophone, and camera arrays for spatial audio recording.

He is a Research Assistant of Prof. Angelo Farina at University of Parma since 2016, mainly specialized in spatial audio, design of transducer arrays, acoustics simulations and 3D auralization, applied to automotive field, and underwater acoustics.

Valeria Bruschi received the M.Sc. degree (cum laude) in electronic engineering in 2018 at Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy, with a thesis on immersive sound reproduction in real environments. She obtained the PhD degree in 2023 at the Department of Information Engineering (DII) of the same university and she was a Postdoc researcher at the same department from February 2023 to March 2024. She has been a research Assistant Professor at DII since April 2024. Her current research interests are mainly focused on digital audio signal processing (DSP), with particular attention to adaptive DSP algorithms for linear/nonlinear systems identification, audio equalization, and immersive audio systems. She is a member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES) and member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

The session will delve into the fascinating world of how sound is produced, manipulated, and perceived when using various musical instruments. Manuscripts exploring the intricate physics behind the vibrations, resonances, and harmonics that give each instrument its unique voice are welcome. This session promises to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the science that underpins the art of music.

Chairperson:

Edoardo Piana holds the position of associate professor and founder/head of the Applied Acoustics Laboratory (ISO 9001 certified) at the University of Brescia. His main research fields are: acoustic insulation of composite materials, acoustic absorption of innovative materials, acoustic metamaterials, environmental acoustics, noise from high voltage power lines and electrical substations and sound propagation in ducts.
He authored numerous articles in international and national scientific journals and participates actively to the main congresses in the sector. He is the scientific referent for the University of Brescia in the cooperation agreements for the development of projects in the field of vibroacoustic with the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm and the Katholieke Universiteit in Louvain.
Member of ISO/TC 43/SC 2/WG 32, “Determination of acoustical parameters of materials” and of the UNI technical commission “Acoustic and vibrations”, collaborates with various companies on projects with high scientific content.
At his own university, he holds Applied Acoustics and Technical Physics courses. He has also supervised numerous degree and doctoral theses.

This session explores the latest advancements in the measurement, recording, and modeling of auditorium and theater acoustics. We welcome contributions showcasing innovative methodologies, emerging technologies, and case studies that enhance our understanding of spatial sound characteristics in both historical and modern performance spaces.

Keywords: 3D acoustic measurements, historical theaters, modern auditoria, acoustic simulations, computational modeling, immersive audio, data-driven analysis.

Chairperson: Ruoran Yan

Ruoran Yan is a PhD student in Architecture and Design Cultures at the Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna (37th cycle). Doctoral research project: ‘A study of interactive architectural acoustics for genius loci regeneration driven by cultural heritage’, is in progress. Specialized in the energy efficiency of existing buildings and the current situation and restoration of ancient villages in China, during the postgraduate period. Experience in interactive architectural design based on multi-media. Research interests: Theatre acoustic simulation, Deep Learning based acoustic models, interactive design.

This session concerns the study of the acoustics of sacred spaces such as churches, mosques, places of worship generally located outdoors and in confined spaces (even caves). The purpose of the session is to discuss the effects of acoustics in these environments and how the acoustics influence perception and participation in religious services. Experiences relating to the acoustic correction of these environments can also be presented.

Gino Iannace is an associate professor at University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli and qualified as full professor in 9C2 (ING-IND 11).  PhD in environmental acoustics, active in the field of Acoustics, with interests in all its aspects and in particular in environmental acoustics and acoustic properties of material. Innace carried out research through collaboration on national and international projects. He has participated in numerous national and international conferences. He is a reviewer for multiple journals and editor of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Iannace has more than 30 years of professional experience in the acoustics sector carrying out action plans, acoustic zoning, noise maps and various acoustic impact assessments.

Recent technological developments are having a fundamental impact on the field Human-Computer Interaction. Technologies such as holography, head-mounted displays, full-dome immersive video projection, kinesthetic communication (haptic technology), transparent monitors, and three-dimensional (3D) sound and electronic sensors, facilitate sophisticated and interactive environments using augmented and virtual reality. The scope of this augmentation is participant immersion, which is the ultimate goal of an effective virtual or augmented experience. It is a common belief that aurality constitutes an essential part in VR and AR and offers additional details and a visceral sense to the immersive experience. Aurality encloses the synthesis, spatialisation, and reception of sound in a virtual world.

In this session, we welcome research papers that lie in all the individual aspects of aurality and sound spatialisation as well as novel engineering efforts and applications that bridge VR and AR development with immersive sound and auralisation.

Chairperson:

Athanasios G. Malamos received Bsc in Physics from the University of Crete (1992) and MSc and PhD from the Technical University of Crete in 1995 and 2000 respectively. From 2002 until 2019 he was with the Technological Educational Institute of Crete, Dept. of Informatics Engineering (former name of the department Applied Informatics and Multimedia). Since May 2019 is a professor of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Dept., of the Hellenic Mediterranean University. He is an active member of the WEB3D community. He is member of the web3D Consortium spatial sound and semantics group and the W3C representing the consortium in the Audio Work Group. His laboratory team contributed to the spatial sound, the Humanoid, the Physics libraries, and streaming in X3D platforms. Dr. Malamos is honored with the ACM Recognition of Service Award and by the WEB3D consortium with recognition of his efforts in the organization of web3D conferences. His research interests include online multimedia services, Web3D, and Virtual and Augmented Reality.

  • Efficient Algorithms: Research into faster computational methods for simulating complex acoustic environments in real-time.
  • Hybrid Models: Combining ray-tracing, wave-based, and AI-driven models for hyper-accurate simulations of sound in intricate spaces.

Abstract:

Recent audio technologies facilitate simulation of the acoustical signatures of historic structures. Together with immersive visual technologies it is possible to provide new perspectives and deeper insights into the role of architecture on human behavior. This panel will discuss the implications of using immersive technologies to reanimate cultural heritage sites with particular emphasis on archaeology, musicology, anthropology, and sound studies.

We invite a wide scope of papers about practice based projects – with matching demos where possible.

Keywords:

Data acquisition, analysis, modeling, architectural acoustics, cultural histories, resonant properties, performance spaces, performance practice, spatial audio, virtual reality, cultural studies, musicology, history of art and architecture, cognitive science, audio engineering, archaeology, anthropology, musicology, music, rituals, sound and space, cognition, perception, psychology, composition, sound art, art practice, immersive arts.

Session co-chairs: Jonathan Berger, Stanford University and Cobi van Tonder, University of Bologna

Jonathan Berger portrait photoBios: Jonathan Berger is the Denning Family Provostial Professor in Music at Stanford University. Berger is a composer of a wide range of genres including opera, orchestral, chamber, end electroacoustic music. He is also an active researcher, with expertise in computational music theory, music perception and cognition, psychoacoustics, and sonification. He has published over 70 academic articles in a wide variety of fields relating to music, science, and technology, including relevant work in digital audio processing in Neuron, Frontiers in Psychology, andthe Journal of the Audio Engineering Society. Among his awards and commissions are the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Rome Prize, fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and commissions from Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, the 92nd Street Y, The Spoleto Festival, the Kronos Quartet, and others. Berger is the Principal Investigator of a major grant from the Templeton Religion Trust’s Art Seeking Understanding initiative, to study the interplay of architectural acoustics and musical and ritual sound.

Cobi van Tonder is a practice-led researcher and interdisciplinary artist. She composes and performs microtonal drone music, synthesized music, and sound pieces based on field recordings, infrasound, and virtual acoustics. Her current project, ACOUSTIC ATLAS – Cultivating the Capacity to Listen, developed during a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship, enables remote listening in the browser through virtual acoustic technology. Cobi completed a Ph.D. in Music Composition at Trinity College, Dublin, an MFA Art Practice degree at Stanford, USA; and a BHons in Music in History and Society (Musicology) at WITS, Johannesburg, South Africa. Cobi is currently a research fellow at the Department of Architecture, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna.

For this session we invite papers and posters about AI used in Acoustics and 3D Immersive Audio applications.

  • Audio Scene Analysis: Using AI to automatically detect, isolate, and analyze complex audio environments.
  • AI-Driven Sound Design: Applying machine learning to generate realistic 3D soundscapes or predict the acoustic behavior of spaces.
  • Virtual Acoustics Optimization: AI for simulating room acoustics faster and more accurately, including real-time predictions of reverberation and reflections.
  • Real-Time Spatial Audio and Networking
    • Low-Latency Audio Rendering: Advancements in delivering real-time spatial audio in networked environments like telepresence and remote collaboration.
    • 3D Audio for Virtual Meetings: Research on binaural and spatial audio solutions to make remote communication more natural and reduce fatigue.

Keywords:

Data acquisition, analysis, modeling, architectural acoustics, cultural histories, resonant properties, performance spaces, performance practice, spatial audio, virtual reality, cultural studies, musicology, history of art and architecture, cognitive science, audio engineering, archaeology, anthropology, musicology, music, rituals, sound and space, cognition, perception, psychology, composition, sound art, art practice, immersive arts.

Session co-chairs:

Social Events

Social Dinner  – To be confirmed