ViewNoise

ViewNoise Acoustics Camera

Microphone Array and Software

Welcome to ViewNoise, a state-of-the-art software solution poised to transform the landscape of acoustic analysis and visualization. ViewNoise is not just software; it's a powerful tool designed to empower professionals across various domains to gain unparalleled insights into sound environments, all in real-time.

A Symphony of Advanced Features

ViewNoise is engineered with an impressive array of features, each meticulously designed to enhance the user's experience and deliver remarkable results:

Directional Sound Analysis:

ViewNoise's virtual directional microphone offers real-time sound source localization, enabling users to pinpoint sound sources with precision, whether for industrial troubleshooting, environmental noise monitoring, or scientific research.

Spectrogram Visualization:

Real-time spectrogram display provides a visual representation of sound data, with customizable parameters based on frame buffer size and overlap, ensuring a high degree of flexibility in acoustic analysis.

Spectrum Analysis:

ViewNoise's real-time spectrum analysis tool allows for in-depth examination of the frequency domain, providing critical insights into sound characteristics and anomalies.

Audio-Video Synchronization:

Experience synchronized playback of audio and video data, with the option to switch between colour, black and white, or contour video modes, all powered by hardware acceleration through available GPUs for efficient multitasking.

Sound Reproduction:

ViewNoise not only analyzes sound but also allows for versatile sound reproduction, enabling playback from real microphones, virtual directional microphones, or virtual HDR microphones. This feature supports volume control, both locally and globally, along with the capability for delayed or accelerated playback.

High-Resolution Recording:

During video recording, ViewNoise achieves a time resolution of one frame (33ms at 30Hz), while sound data boasts significantly higher resolution, such as 41.7 microseconds at 24,000 audio frames per second, ensuring precision in capturing both audio and visual data.

Applications Across Industries

The versatility of ViewNoise extends beyond its technical capabilities; it finds application in diverse industries and sectors:

Industrial Quality Control:

In manufacturing and quality control environments, ViewNoise's acoustic camera capabilities empower engineers to identify sound anomalies and defects in real-time, improving product quality and production efficiency.

Environmental Noise Monitoring:

Environmentalists and urban planners utilize ViewNoise to monitor noise pollution levels, facilitating informed decision-making for urban development and noise reduction measures.

Scientific Research:

Researchers across various disciplines, from audiology to material science, leverage ViewNoise for in-depth acoustic analysis, enabling groundbreaking discoveries and advancements.
Automotive Engineering:

In the automotive industry, ViewNoise aids in vehicle noise reduction and refinement, enhancing the driving experience for consumers.

Aerospace Testing:

Aerospace engineers rely on ViewNoise for sound analysis during aircraft testing, ensuring aircraft meet stringent noise regulations and safety standards.

ViewNoise is not just a software; it's your partner in unlocking the full potential of acoustic data, offering precision, efficiency, and versatility like never before. Join the ViewNoise revolution and redefine your approach to acoustic analysis and visualization today.
The ViewNoise Acoustic Camera, comprising a microphone array, optical camera, and data acquisition controller, stands as a pinnacle of advanced hardware and data processing software. This sophisticated system is designed to capture and visualize acoustic data with unparalleled precision.

Innovative Acoustic Imaging
At the heart of ViewNoise lies its innovative acoustic imaging technology, leveraging the beamforming method. This method allows ViewNoise to create highly detailed acoustic images, providing valuable insights into sound sources and distribution.

Enhanced Noise Reduction
ViewNoise's microphone array features a unique spiral shape meticulously engineered to minimise side lobes and eliminate ghost sources. This design ensures that the acoustic data captured is of the highest quality and accuracy.

Harnessing Computational Power
Given the intensive computational requirements for acoustic image calculations, ViewNoise utilises the power of GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) for parallel computations. This cutting-edge approach, compatible with CUDA and OpenCL, empowers ViewNoise to process data swiftly and visualisation.
The ViewNoise Acoustic Camera sets a new standard in acoustic data capture and analysis, offering researchers, engineers, and professionals a powerful solution for understanding and visualising sound environments with precision and clarity.

Microphone Array Specifications
MA64UB530R6

Microphone array &
Data acquisition controller: MA64UB530R6
communication interface USB 2.0/3.0 (Windows 7/10/11 64bit)
power supply self powered, 2.5W,  USB 5V @ 500mA
dimensions 520mm (diameter)
microphones 64 MEMS microphones (UB Spiral)
Microphone specifications
Resolution: High Precision 24-bit
Sampling Frequency: 48kHz
SNR: 65 dBA
Sensitivity:  −26 dB FS
Sensitivity Tolerance:  ± 1 dB
Frequency Response: 50 Hz ... 20 kHz (± 3dB)
Acoustic Overload: 117 dB SPL
weight 2.5kg (w/o tripod)
video camera SONY IMX317
supported video formats
1920x1080 @ 30Hz
Meteo sensors (integrated) • Air Temperature
• Atmospheric Pressure
• Humidity (Rh%)

 

ViewNoiseViewNoise Software Features

Data acquisition, Visualization and Signal processing (Realtime & Offline)

All ViewNoise functionalities are available both in real time and offline. In offline mode, it is possible to comment on the recording and use slow motion with a frame rate of up to 24000 frames per second.

Beamforming
Beamforming

Beamforming: Visualizing Sound with Precision

ViewNoise's beamforming feature seamlessly overlays sound data onto video images captured by the integrated camera. Users have the parameters to suit their specific needs.

Optimizing Computational Power

The process of calculating sound data via beamforming demands substantial computational resources. To alleviate the CPU workload, ViewNoise leverages the available GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). It is compatible with CUDA for nVidia GPUs and OpenCL for nVidia, AMD, and Intel GPUs. A GPU with a minimum of 1.5 TFLOPS (theoretical) computing power is required for efficient operation.

Customizable Resolution

ViewNoise allows operators to select the resolution of the beamforming picture, ranging from 80x60 to 640x480 pixels. Higher resolution yields more detailed sound images but necessitates increased computational effort. Typically, a resolution of 320x240 (equivalent to 76,800 pixels) proves adequate for most applications. Importantly, the chosen resolution doesn't impact recording; it is during playback that the beamforming picture is recalculated based on the selected settings, frame buffer size, frequency resolution, and frame buffer overlap, ensuring the utmost flexibility and precision in sound visualization.

beamforming

Virtual directional microphone
Virtual Directional Microphone

The Virtual Directional Microphone feature empowers you to pinpoint the sound source with precision at the cursor position (controlled by the mouse) in both real-time and during recording.

Important Note: For optimal real-time listening, we strongly recommend the use of headphones.

Virtual HDR microphones for Advanced Sound Source Separation
VirtualMicrophoneHDR

While the virtual directional microphone is a powerful tool, there are scenarios where it may not yield desired results, especially when dealing with close or significantly varying sound/noise sources. In such cases, ViewNoise offers the solution with its Virtual HDR Microphones.

Real-Time Sound Source Separation

Virtual HDR Microphones enable operators to position virtual microphones precisely at the locations of sound or noise sources. In real-time, ViewNoise efficiently segregates these sources, benefiting from the superior Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) achieved with HDR microphones compared to standard directional microphones. However, this advanced functionality requires substantial computational resources due to the complexity of the calculations involved.

Compute Power Dependency

The number of Virtual HDR Microphones that can be analyzed in real-time is directly proportional to the computational capabilities of the processor in use, including the number of cores, frequency, and AVX/AVX512 support.

With ViewNoise, you can employ a maximum of 63 Virtual HDR Microphones when equipped with a 64-microphone array.

Note: ViewNoise harnesses the full potential of multi-threading across both CPU and GPU, optimising performance and efficiency in sound source separation.

Acoustic Eraser
Acoustic Eraser
The Acoustic Eraser empowers users to actively suppress sound sources in a specified direction in real-time. This advanced feature allows for the concurrent suppression of up to 64 sources, offering precise control in the hands of the operator.
SPL Measurement (dBA)
SPL
ViewNoise provides the capability to measure Sound Pressure Level (SPL) from a specific direction, akin to that of a directional microphone.
Recording Functionality
Record

In addition to capturing a comprehensive acoustic picture featuring 64 channels of 24-bit audio at 48kHz, ViewNoise also facilitates video recording.

ViewNoise offers support for various video recording codecs, enhancing flexibility:

  • x264 HW hardware encoder, compatible with Intel, AMD, and nVidia GPUs.
  • x265 HW hardware encoder, compatible with Intel, AMD, and nVidia GPUs.
  • x264 SW software encoder (CPU-based, not recommended for CPUs with fewer than 6 cores).
  • x265 SW software encoder (CPU-based, not recommended for CPUs with fewer than 8 cores).

The duration of the recording is solely contingent on the available free space on the HDD/SSD and can be configured within the software as needed.

Video Export Capability
Video Export

Video Export Capability:

ViewNoise offers a powerful feature for exporting the acoustic picture to an AVI video file that is compatible with nearly all media players, contingent upon the selected encoder.

Supported video formats include:

  • x264 HW hardware encoder, compatible with Intel, AMD, and nVidia GPUs.
  • x265 HW hardware encoder, compatible with Intel, AMD, and nVidia GPUs.
  • x264 SW software encoder (CPU-based, though not recommended for CPUs with fewer than 6 cores).
  • x265 SW software encoder (CPU-based, though not recommended for CPUs with fewer than 8 cores).

Additionally, users have the flexibility to enhance their exported video files with text subtitles, positioned and timed as needed, or add audio comments through an external microphone source.

Spectrogram Visualization

ViewNoise offers real-time display of a spectrogram depicting the sound picture. The spectrogram's characteristics are contingent upon the chosen frame buffer size and its overlap, with a minimum overlap requirement of 50%.

Spectrogram

Real-time Spectrum Analysis

ViewNoise provides real-time display of the frequency domain spectrum for the input signal, which can originate from any of the 64 microphones. Additionally, ViewNoise offers spectrum analysis for the currently active source, be it the directional microphone or virtual HDR microphone. Users can choose from various spectrum representations, including linear, logarithmic, absolute, or relative formats.

Real-time Audio Signal Display

ViewNoise provides a real-time presentation of the signal in the time domain, originating from the currently selected microphone. Users have the flexibility to choose from microphone options ranging from 1 to 64 or opt for an overview of all available microphones.

Video Playback (Offline)

ViewNoise offers synchronized playback of recorded audio and video data. The video image during playback can be rendered in color, black and white, or contour mode, providing a seamless transition with a single button press. Furthermore, ViewNoise supports hardware-accelerated playback through the available GPU, thereby alleviating CPU load for concurrent tasks. In the case of the selected recording format being x265 (HEVC), utilizing the GPU for decoding is highly recommended for optimal performance.

Sound Reproduction Capability

 

ViewNoise offers versatile sound reproduction options, including playback from the following sources:

  • Any of the physical microphones
  • Virtual Directional Microphone
  • Virtual HDR Microphone

Audio playback occurs through the selected sound card, with the flexibility to adjust volume levels both locally and globally, including the ability to mute.

When adjusting playback speed, the frequency of the audio playback adjusts accordingly. During delayed playback, users can observe sound in a slowed-down manner. For video recording, the time resolution aligns with one frame (33ms at 30Hz), while the sound picture can achieve much finer resolution, such as 41.7 microseconds at an audio frame rate of 24,000 fps.

ViewNoise Window

Minimum computer/laptop requirements
OS Windows 10/11 64bit
CPU CPU with 4+ cores (Intel: i5,i7,i9 or AMD Ryzen 4xxx/5xxx/7xxx)
GPU GPU supporting CUDA (nVidia) or OpenCL (nVidia / AMD / Intel) with minimum theoretical performance 1.5TFLOPS
Example: GTX850M, GTX950M, GTX1050, GTX1650, GTX2060, GTX3060, ...
RAM 16GB RAM
Storage (HDD/SSD) SSD (60 sec recording can take up 1GB of disk space)
Videos:

Kitchen noise: Soup machine
Kitchen noise: Dishwasher & Soup machine
Kitchen noise: Blender

Kitchen noise: Running water
Kitchen noise: Aspirator
Kitchen noise: Boiling water

Kitchen noise: TV
Sound Source Separation (HDR Virtual Microphones): 8 MP3 players



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