A First Generation Earthmoving Machine Sound Simulator and its Potential Use in Product Sound Development

Real-time sound synthesis has proven to be an effective means to realistically simulate and auralize the dynamic soundscape of complex vibro-acoustic systems. Such technology has been used in industry and entertainment applications, from aircraft pilot training simulators and automotive NVH simulators, to home entertainment automobile racing games. Earthmoving machine training simulators and mobile device games have even been developed that include sound as a vital part of the user experience. This paper explores the use of a customized earthmoving machine training simulator as a first generation machine sound simulator intended for product sound development. This paper discusses the synthesis method and examples of how the simulator can be used in product sound development, including contextual Sound Quality evaluations and bridging communication gaps between design teams and sound experts. The presentation will show examples from the simulator.