Redefining Communication: Immersive Audio and Telepresence with SpotFormer™ Technology

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Have you ever felt fatigued after a long day of virtual meetings? Or perhaps you've struggled to track who's speaking in a crowded conference call. These shared experiences highlight a fundamental limitation of current communication technologies: they fail to replicate the immersive, multi-dimensional nature of face-to-face conversations.

But what if technology could bridge this gap, allowing us to experience the richness and depth of in-person communication, regardless of distance? This is the promise of Immersive Voice and Audio Service (IVAS), a groundbreaking technology poised to transform how we connect and collaborate.

What is Immersive Voice and Audio?

IVAS refers to a new generation of spatial audio technologies designed to create a more realistic and engaging sound experience. Unlike traditional audio, which typically comes from a single source or a limited number of loudspeakers, immersive audio aims to envelop the listener in a three-dimensional soundscape.

Think of it like this: Traditional Audio is like listening to music through a single loudspeaker; you hear the sound, but it's flat and lacks depth. Immersive Audio is like being in a live concert hall. You hear the music from all directions, including above and below you, creating a sense of presence and realism.

To truly feel "present" in a conversation, 3D spatial audio is essential, allowing users to experience the richness and depth of a multi-dimensional soundscape.

While consumers readily enjoy immersive audio in cinemas, home theaters, and even on their mobile devices for media playback, mobile communication has lagged.  Despite advancements in communication technology, phone calls and video conferencing still lack the immersive sound quality of face-to-face conversations. They remain primarily one-dimensional, providing only a monophonic audio experience. To truly feel "present" in a conversation, 3D spatial audio is essential, allowing users to experience the richness and depth of a multi-dimensional soundscape.

3GPP Spearheads IVAS Codec Standard

To address this challenge, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), an organization that develops global telecommunication standards for mobile networks like 3G, 4G, and 5G, spearheaded the development of the IVAS codec standard, which brings immersive spatial audio to communication and conferencing devices.

However, the IVAS codec merely transmits spatial audio information between users. We need modules that capture and render spatial audio to create a truly immersive communication experience.

By delivering realistic spatial audio experiences, IVAS has the potential to enhance productivity, engagement, and overall use.

While rendering technology has advanced significantly, spatial audio capturing remains underdeveloped. This is where spot-forming steps in. The proprietary technology from Kardome draws inspiration from the human auditory system, which utilizes environmental cues to analyze, understand, and extract spatial audio surroundings. By processing the multi-dimensional properties of spatial audio, humans can effectively interpret and navigate their sonic environment.

IVAS, integrated with SpotFormer™ and rendering modules, is poised to reshape our video meetings, offering a more immersive and intuitive way to communicate, collaborate, and entertain. By delivering realistic spatial audio experiences, IVAS has the potential to enhance productivity, engagement, and overall use.

Download our whitepaper to learn how IVAS
and SpotFormer can revolutionize communication