Sensaura#Sensaura 3D Positional Audio

{{Infobox company

| name = Sensaura Ltd.

| logo = Sensaura logo.svg

| type = Subsidiary

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1991}}

| fate = Acquired by Creative Technology and merged with 3Dlabs, now dissolved

| defunct = {{End date|2008}}

| successor = Sonaptic Ltd.

| location = Middlesex

| industry = Audio Technologies

| parent = Creative Technology

| key_people =

| brands = {{hlist|gameCODA|S-3DPA}}

| homepage = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622032436/http://www.sensaura.com/ |date=June 22, 2007 |title=www.sensaura.com }}

}}

Sensaura Ltd., a division of Creative Technology, was a company that provided 3D audio effect technology for the interactive entertainment industry. Sensaura technology was shipped on more than 24 million game consoles and 150 million PCs (on soundcards, motherboards and external USB audio devices). Formed in 1991, Sensaura developed a range of technologies for incorporating 3D audio into PC's and consoles.

History

File:Sensaura SPU-800-Hardware.png

Following its origin as a research project at Thorn EMI's Central Research Laboratories ("CRL", based in Hayes, United Kingdom) in 1991, Sensaura become a supplier of 3D audio technology. By 1998, Sensaura had licensed its technology to the audio chip manufacturers (ESS Technology, Crystal Semiconductor/Cirrus Logic and Yamaha), who at that time supplied 70% of the PC audio market. Subsequent licensees included NVIDIA, Analog Devices, VIA Technologies (expired, replaced by QSound) and C-Media Electronics.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E1p2FDL7P5QC&dq=motherboard+OR+specs+OR+AD1980+%22Sensaura%22&pg=PA926|title=Upgrading and Repairing PCs |website=Google Books, page 926|date=2003|accessdate=September 8, 2021|via=Google Books}}

In 1993, Sensaura released a CD sampler disc 'beyond stereo...' containing four tracks;{{Citation needed|reason=Needs source(s)|date=August 2021}}

1. Roadside

2. Railway Station

3. RAF Band

4. Falla: Final Dance from "The Three-Cornered Hat"

These tracks, recorded live, were intended to illustrate what could be achieved in terms of 3D sound from a two-channel stereo set-up.{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-Studio-Sound/90s/Studio-Sound-1996-11.pdf|title=Studio Sound - Sensaura SPU-800 |website=World Radio History, page 43|date=1996|accessdate=August 27, 2021|via=World Radio History}}

Some commercial recordings followed:

Milla Jovovich, The Divine Comedy (1994)
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 9, Benjamin Zander, Philharmonia Orchestra (1999){{cite web|url=http://www.sensaura.com/whitepapers/pdfs/devpc015.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060328115636/http://www.sensaura.com/whitepapers/pdfs/devpc015.pdf|title=Sensaura - Hearing in three dimensions|website=Sensaura|archivedate=March 28, 2006|date=2000|accessdate=September 11, 2021|via=The Internet Archive}}

The MacRobert Award was presented to Sensaura by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2001.

{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1634318.stm|title=BBC News - Sensaura's 3D sound goes beyond stereo|website=BBC News|date=November 5, 2001|accessdate=August 21, 2021}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.raeng.org.uk/grants-prizes/prizes/prizes-and-medals/awards/the-macrobert-award-engineering-innovation/previous-winners-and-finalists/past-winners|title=Sensaura receives MacRobert Award from the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAENG)|website=Royal Academy of Engineering|date=2001|accessdate=August 19, 2021}}

Sensaura technology was shipped on more than 24 million game consoles and 150 million PCs (on soundcards, motherboards and external USB audio devices). As well as being licensed directly for the first Microsoft Xbox hardware, the technology was also available as a middleware product, GameCODA, for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube.{{cite web|url=https://hexus.net/ce/items/audio-visual/2119-sensaura-via-announce-licensing-agreement-3d-audio-technology/|title=Sensaura and VIA Announce Licensing Agreement for 3D Audio Technology|website=Hexus|date=March 3, 2003|accessdate=August 20, 2021}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.sensaura.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622032436/http://www.sensaura.com/|title=Sensaura - audio reality|website=Sensaura|archivedate=June 22, 2007|date=2007|accessdate=August 19, 2021|via=The Internet Archive}}

In 2000, Sensaura developed a spatial audio plugin for the WinAmp media player which was downloaded 18 million times.{{Citation needed|reason=Needs source(s)|date=August 2021}}

In December 2003, the Sensaura business and IP portfolio was bought by Creative Technology.{{cite web|url=http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/mmedia/display/20031208024553.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20031227091056/http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/mmedia/display/20031208024553.html|title=Creative Technology Acquires Sensaura|website=Xbit Laboratories|archivedate=December 27, 2003|date=December 7, 2003|accessdate=August 20, 2021|via=The Internet Archive}}{{cite web|url=https://techreport.com/news/5960/creative-sensaura-fallout-muffled-so-far/|title=Creative-Sensaura fallout muffled so far|website=The Tech Report|date=December 5, 2003|accessdate=September 8, 2021}} Sensaura continued to operate as an R&D division within Creative, however following a major reduction in staff numbers in March 2007, it ceased supplying audio technologies for PC sound cards, game consoles but focused on other product areas, including involvement with the OpenSL ES standard.{{Citation needed|reason=Needs source(s)|date=August 2021}} Following further headcount reductions in 2008, the remaining Sensaura engineers were absorbed into Creative's 3DLabs subsidiary.{{Citation needed|reason=Needs source(s)|date=August 2021}}

Prior to the acquisition of Sensaura by Creative Technology in 2003, some employees left to form Sonaptic Ltd. Licensing Sensaura's technology, Sonaptic specialized in 3D positional audio for mobile devices.[http://www.mobilemonday.jp/presentations/Sonaptic.pdf Sonaptic 3D Positional Audio Technology - Presentation](see page 2) In 2007, Wolfson Microelectronics acquired Sonaptic, wanting to expand their reach within the audio market.{{Cite web|date=2007-07-24|title=Wolfson invests in IP with Sonaptic acquisition|url=https://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/wolfson-invests-in-ip-with-sonaptic-acquisition-257507/|access-date=2021-11-10|website=Growth Business|language=en-GB}}

Technology<ref name="sensaura-technologies">{{cite web|url=https://www.ixbt.com/multimedia/sensaura-tech.html|title=Sensaura Technologies |website=[[ixbt.com]], page 43|date=February 14, 2000|accessdate=September 9, 2021|via=[[ixbt.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sensaura.com/whitepapers/index.php|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060328114812/http://www.sensaura.com/whitepapers/index.php|title=Sensaura Technology - White papers|website=Sensaura|archivedate=March 28, 2006|date=2006|accessdate=September 11, 2021|via=[[The Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

File:Sensaura 3D Positional Audio Logo.png

=Sensaura 3D Positional Audio (S-3DPA)=

Sensaura's 3D positional audio technology was designed to build upon the industry standard Microsoft DirectSound3D API, which allowed games to have high quality audio in three dimensions.

HRTF 3D audio positioning with low CPU usage.
Virtual Ear features common HRTF profiles (libraries) that can be selected by the end-user.
Digital Ear is a process of tuning HRTF filter libraries to the individual's ear shape by creating a CAD model with physical implementation.
MacroFX simulates 'near-field proximity effects' when objects move very close to the listener.
ZoomFX to simulate sounds of a specific size instead of a point source.

=3D speaker technology=

By using MultiDrive 5.1 and XTC cross-talk cancellation, Sensaura's 3D speaker technology can create accurate 3D audio within a normal 5.1 surround sound system.

XTC cross-talk cancellation for 3D from speakers (as opposed to from headphones).
Independent HRTF calculation for surround speakers to give full 3D audio from 5.1
MultiDrive 5.1 integrates front and rear sound hemispheres on 5.1 speaker setups.
MultiDrive simulates 3D sound on 4 speaker setups

=gameCODA (audio middleware)=

File:GameCODA Logo.png

For more information, see gameCODA.

Compatible hardware<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techreport.com/reviews/2003q1/soundcards/index.x?pg=1|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061119142721/http://www.techreport.com/reviews/2003q1/soundcards/index.x?pg=1|title=The Tech Report - Examining the highs and lows: Seven PC audio solutions compared|website=[[The Tech Report]]|archivedate=November 19, 2006|date=2006|accessdate=September 8, 2021|via=[[The Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

=Consoles & PC's (gameCODA)=

GameCODA is able to run on virtually any x86 PC with basic sound support.

Personal computers (PC's)
Microsoft Xbox
Sony PlayStation 2
Nintendo GameCube

=Sound cards (S-3DPA)=

Sound cards that support S-3DPA can also be utilized to accelerate gameCODA.

The list of hardware below is not exhaustive:

Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1
Diamond Monster Sound MX400
M-audio Revolution 7.1

==[[Turtle Beach Corporation|Turtle Beach]]==

==[[Hercules Computer Technology|Hercules]] (Guillemot)==

Guillemot Maxi Sound Muse
Hercules Game Theater XP
Hercules Gamesurround Muse 5.1 DVD
Hercules Gamesurround Fortissimo III 7.1
Hercules Digifire 7.1

==[[Yamaha YMF7xx|Yamaha YMF7x4 series]]==

YMF724C-V
YMF724F-V
YMF730
YMF738
YMF744
YMF744B-R
YMF754 DS-1E

==[[Terratec]]==

Terratec SoundSystem DMX
Terratec DMX 6Fire
Terratec DMX XFire 1024
Terratec Aureon 7.1 Space
Terratec Aureon 7.1 Universe

=Motherboards with semiconductors=

ASUS

ASUS P4S800 series
ASUS P4B533-X
ASUS A7V266-MX
ASUS A7V8X-X (on audio models only)

=Semiconductors=

Analog Devices Inc: AD1881A, AD1885 (86,87,88), AD1980, AD1985, AD1986A (SoundMAX)
C-Media: CMI 8768 (SoundPro)
Realtek: ALC658
VIA: VT1616, VT1618, (Vinyl Audio, Vinyl Tremor) {{cite web|url=https://techreport.com/review/4850/vias-kt400a-chipset/|title=VIA's KT400A chipset|website=The Tech Report|date=2001|accessdate=September 8, 2021}}

References

External links

[http://www.creative.com/ Creative Technology]
[http://www.ips.org.uk/audiocompendium/index.php?title=Sensaura/ Institute of Professional Sound]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20061018072840/http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/sound-technology/index.html Modern Audio Technologies in Games]

Category:Technology companies established in 1991

Category:Technology companies disestablished in 2008

Category:Sound cards

Category:Creative Technology

Category:Creative Technology acquisitions

Category:Defunct computer companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Defunct computer hardware companies