Siemens has developed a digital twin that allows the organizers of the Salzburg Festival to virtually explore how acoustics change in different spatial configurations
The Sound of Science digital twin makes it possible to realistically reproduce and simulate a building’s acoustics and structure. It can measure the echo and reverberation of a sound in a 3D model and simulate how soundwaves propagate in a room.
It will enable event organizers to virtually envisage how, for example, adding acoustic panels affects to listening experience in order to select the optimal acoustic scenario.
The digital twin can also model different orchestral formations on the stage before a single note is played in the real world, saving time, resources and money.
It is being used for the first time in the Großes Festspielhaus – the Large Festival Hall – at the Salzburg Festival.
Designing the future
Prof Dr Stephan Frucht, artistic director of the Siemens Arts Program, said: “With Sound of Science, we’re designing the future.
“Digital twins are not only transforming the everyday for many companies but are also creating new opportunities for the cultural and creative industries.
“In the future, we’ll be able to plan stage productions better and even simulate them acoustically in advance. We’re delighted to have the Salzburg Festival at our side as a longstanding partner, who recognizes the opportunities such innovations offer.”
Siemens will make the Sound of Science app available to selected partners from the cultural world free of charge as a demonstration application.
There are currently no plans to market the application. Its simulation solutions, however, may be purchased.
The Salzburg Festival’s Großes Festspielhaus is the first and only large event space to date in which Sound of Science is available. However, Siemens is planning to digitally simulate further spaces – including concert halls in Germany and England.
At the Salzburg Festival, audiences will have an opportunity – unique for the time being – to use VR glasses to experience the application.
“Siemens and the Salzburg Festival share a common passion for excellence and innovation. And we’re delighted to partake in this pioneering technological development and innovation as part of our longstanding close and trust-based partnership,” said Dr Kristina Hammer, president of the Salzburg Festival.
“We’re excited to see what diverse applications will stem from Sound of Science in the future.”
Simulating acoustic DNA
The technologies used are part of the simulation solutions from Siemens Simcenter.
For Sound of Science, Simcenter uses a combination of impulse response measurements and ray tracing for the 3D modeling of each event space.
These methods can measure the echo and reverberation of a sound and simulate how soundwaves propagate in a room.
Depending on the material, reflections of soundwaves behave differently. Those that bounce off a concrete wall react differently from those that hit a carpet or reach the ear directly. As a result, the simulation can reproduce the individual sound signature of each event space – in other words, its acoustic DNA.
Siemens has been working closely with the Salzburg Festival for around 30 years. Since 1999, the company has also been the festival’s main sponsor.
In addition, a number of the Salzburg Festival’s venues are equipped with Siemens technology for building automation, security and acoustics.
