For engineers at Philips Consumer Lifestyle Innovation Lab (iLab), surround sound audio technology is about more than sophisticated algorithms and electronics; it is also about evoking emotion in the listener. "We started thinking about how to embrace the listener with sound without a room full of wires and speakers," explains Georges Aerts, iLab Program Manager.
The result is the Ambisound Soundbar, a one-piece, integrated home theater system that uses advanced digital sound processing technology to deliver multichannel surround sound. iLab engineers used MathWorks tools to develop and test algorithms, run real-time simulations, and tune acoustic parameters for the Ambisound Soundbar.
"Simulink is crucial for the creative aspect of our work," says Aerts. "With Simulink we do not have to worry about details of implementation while we are exploring design ideas. When we have an idea, we can simply model it in Simulink, simulate it, and listen to it in real time. For us, that is a tremendous benefit."