Real-time auditory contrast enhancement

Presented at the 25th International Conference on Auditory Display (ICAD 2019) 23-27 June 2019, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.Every day, we rely on the information that is encoded in the auditory feedback of our physical interactions. With the goal to perceptually enhance those sound characteristics that are relevant to us - especially within professional practices such as percussion and auscultation - we introduce the method of real-time Auditory Contrast Enhancement (ACE). It is derived from algorithms for speech enhancement as well as from the remarkable sound processing mechanisms of our ears. ACE is achieved by individual sharpening of spectral and temporal structures contained in a sound while maintaining its natural gestalt. With regard to the targeted real-time applications, the proposed method is designed for low latency. As the discussed examples illustrate, it is able to significantly enhance spectral and temporal contrast