The Interactive Multi-channel Audio Player is an original Mystus product concept. No similar product was available on the market, so we built it. The player allows us to create exhibits where many channels of audio can be deployed in an environment while under visitor directed control. Envisage a nature environment with 20 speakers distributed throughout a rocky mountain river scene let’s say. A visitor interacting with the display chooses to hear the sound of the wolf and immediately the wolf’s howl is heard amongst the wind in the trees. Then another wolf is heard further off but in another direction. Picture again an arrangement of musical instruments. The visitor selects a few instruments and they start to play. Rather than a typical stereo split, the sound of the wolf is located in the scene. As the visitor moves around, the direction from where the sound comes changes as it would in a real situation. The music emanates directly from the instrument, not from somewhere behind the backdrop. Our system supports up to thirty independent speaker locations each with individual volume controls, and all channels are available to respond to visitor choices at any time and in any combination. The player integrates seamlessly with
any computer based, multimedia, electronic, or audiovisual components that are also in the exhibit.