UMD computer scientist’s VisiSonics raises $3.5M to amplify 3D sound technology
The funding round includes a $500,000 investment from the University System of Maryland Momentum Fund. Its name might not be on the label, but the company’s technology is behind the spatial audio in virtual reality and gaming.
When it comes to virtual reality, truly immersing someone in another space requires a lot of things to be just right.
For one, there’s a question of visuals. The objects have to be three-dimensional enough to look like they’re in front of a player, and a character has to be able to move around to see those objects to the right or left.
It’s not just a question of look, but also feeling like you’re somewhere else. That’s where sound plays a role. If a bee is flying to the right, it has to sound like it is buzzing to the right. Getting this “3D sound” right is its own area of technology development growing up around VR, and it has applications that go well beyond the headset.
