The York Research Database

Binaural audio research frequently employs head-related transfer functions (HRTFs). However, acoustic measurement of large numbers of HRTFs can be impractical. An alternative is boundary element method (BEM) simulation using 3D meshes. This paper describes the acoustic validation of a 3D mesh of KEMAR, previously validated against the manufacturer’s CAD file. Differences between acoustic and simulated binaural cues were analysed for consistency. After compensating for systematic errors, the mean difference in interaural time difference was 23.96 µs. The mean differences in monaural and interaural spectral content were 1.92 dB and 2.42 dB, respectively. It is concluded that the mesh is suitable for BEM simulations below 20 kHz, provided that just-noticeable perceptual differences are acceptable, and should prove useful in a variety of research applications.