Real-time sound synthesis for 2-D plates using FDTD methods

Abstract: This presentation discusses algorithms and implementation details of real-time sound synthesis for 2D plates. Firstly, a simple finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) scheme is introduced for linear 2D plates, accompanied by the acceleration strategy for its C/C++ implementation utilizing the CPU's single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) instructions. Subsequently, the computational bottlenecks of nonlinear plate simulation modeled by the von Karman equation, are addressed, along with corresponding accelerated numerical schemes employing fast linear system solutions and the invariant energy quadratization technique. Finally, the results are demonstrated through the real-time synthesis of a gong-like sound. This report consists of a series of works in collaboration with Stefan Bilbao, Miller Puckette, Tom Erbe, Craig Webb and Michele Ducceschi, which have been accepted by SMC, SMAC and DAFx.

Bio: Zehao Wang is a second-year computer music PhD candidate at UC San Diego advised by Prof. Tom Erbe, Prof. Miller Puckette, and Prof. Stefan Bilbao. His research interests are musical acoustics, real-time sound synthesis, and instrument design. Previously, he got his bachelor’s degree in math at Peking University in China. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, part-time composer, producer, and sound designer with a special interest in theater arts.