Abstract

Dr Chris Hicks, Engineering Director of CEDAR Audio Ltd, will talk about his work in audio restoration and speech enhancement, removing clicks, ticks, scratches, thumps, crackle, buzz, clipping and distortion from audio recordings.

Noise has been the curse of sound recording and transmission systems from the day they were invented. This talk will look at the characteristics of noise, and at why noise contamination of audio signals is so pervasive and so irritating. It will discuss noise reduction techniques, both those that try to avoid the noise in the first place, and those that aim to remove it afterwards. This will include a look at current digital techniques which allow sound and noise to be manipulated and controlled to an unprecedented degree, including live demonstrations using state-of-the-art equipment.

CEDAR Audio (www.cedar-audio.com) is dedicated to audio processing technology for film, post-production, TV and radio broadcast, CD and DVD mastering, libraries and archives, and for forensic audio investigation. Its product portfolio includes declickers, decracklers, dehissers, buzz removers, azimuth correctors, EQ and dynamics modules, spectrum analysers, and dialogue noise suppressors. It also provides a range of advanced sound restoration processes for hard-disk editing systems. Its customers are in the music, TV, film, video, archiving and audio forensic industries. CEDAR Audio was established in 1988 following five years of research funded by the British Library National Sound Archive (BLNSA) based in Cambridge and retains links with Cambridge University. In February 2005 the company’s Engineering Directors were awarded an Academy Award in recognition of its services in this field.

Refreshments served from 18.30. Talk starts at 19.00. Ends by 21.00 following questions and discussion.

Venue: Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), Alan Reece Building, 17 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB3 0FS

Directions are at www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/service/maps/ There is ample free parking in the IfM’s carpark beside the building. The entrance is just past the IfM’s service road.

Free to attend. Registration not required. All welcome.

This talk is open to the public and is suitable for students and engineers. You are encouraged to bring with you colleagues, friends and members of your family who are interested in engineering and technology.

Web link: http://tinyurl.com/imeche-bed-camb-event/7659

This talk is organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire area.