Computer simulation of water sounds

Computer-generated images and videos today have reached such perfection that they are almost impossible to distinguish from reality. However, with sound, the situation is just the opposite. In all computer games and films, sounds are made from samples recorded in reality. Until now, it has not been possible to generate realistic sounds directly from mathematical models in which physical processes are simulated.

However, soon computers will be able to make a movie soundtrack from scratch - as successfully as the video sequence. Scientists Doug James and Changzi Zheng from Cornell University have demonstrated technology that could be the first brick in the building of computer sound simulations.

Scientists decide to create a model for generating various sounds of water. They rummaged through the literature on acoustics and found out that sound in the water stream is generated by the vibration of small air bubbles with a diameter of 0.5 to 5 mm.

The developed model covers the sounds of dripping water, a pouring stream, water splashes, and also bubbling water. Creating nine seconds of bubbling water requires four hours of operation from 20 four-core Xeon processors.

Theoretically, when home computers reach normal power (that is, they become at least a thousand times more productive than now), such models can generate real sounds in real time on a gamer's computer right in the process of a computer game.

James and Zheng will present their work at the SIGGRAPH conference in August.

Extras:
Scientific work (PDF), 28.3 MB
Accompanying video, H.264, 60 FPS, 133 MB
Smaller videos: 1280x720, 67 MB , 1024x576, 46 MB , 854x480, 34 MB

via New Scientist