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The University of Southampton
Engineering

Southampton collaboration with Huawei Research to open up world of sound

Published: 12 November 2013

The University of Southampton has announced a new collaboration with one of China’s largest telecommunications companies to develop innovative consumer audio technologies.

The joint research project between the University's world-renowned Institute of Sound and Vibration Research and Huawei, a leading global ICT solutions provider, aims to develop new technologies for products, such as laptops, tablets and mobile phones.

One of the main research areas will be to create higher-quality 3D sound to match the rapid developments in personalised and interactive audio technologies. Dr Filippo Fazi , Professor Philip Nelson and colleagues from ISVR have developed a super-surround-sound system, by experimenting with a giant sphere that has 40 loudspeakers on its surface, which could produce an experience much more similar to what we hear in the real world.

Dr Fazi says: "It is fantastic that a large international company like Huawei has recognised our global expertise in 3D audio technologies and acoustics. We hope to further develop and improve the sound field technologies that we have established and apply them to the development of products for a global market. This is a valuable collaboration as Huawei's technology expertise will be extremely beneficial to maximise the impact of our research."

Professor Philip Nelson, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research at the University of Southampton, adds:

"We are delighted that such a significant company in the global telecommunications field is recognising our expertise through the award of this grant and look forward to building on this collaboration."

The three-year project, worth close to £500,000, is the first of its kind in the UK from Huawei's Innovation Research Program, which was set up in 2010.

Dawei Huo, President of Huawei Central Research Institute, says: "We are excited to work with the ISVR as they are world-renowned in audio research, with very strong research and engineering ability and are open to innovative impact. We look forward to this partnership developing from project level to a long-term strategic partnership with both parties working together."

The collaboration is part of a £10million investment by Huawei to support research programmes with seven world-renowned British universities. The significant level of funding has been made available through Huawei's Innovation Research Program, which extends the company's long-term focus on research and development into the academic world by forging partnerships with global educational institutions.

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Notes for editors

1. Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Through dedication to customer-centric innovation and strong partnerships, they have established end-to-end advantages in telecom networks, devices and cloud computing. They are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers by providing competitive solutions and services. Huawei products and solutions have been deployed in over 140 countries, serving more than one-third of the world's population.

For more information, visit Huawei online: www.huawei.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/huaweipress

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/HuaweiPress

2. The University of Southampton is a leading UK teaching and research institution with a global reputation for leading-edge research and scholarship across a wide range of subjects in engineering, science, social sciences, health and humanities.

With over 23,000 students, around 5,000 staff, and an annual turnover well in excess of £435 million, the University of Southampton is acknowledged as one of the country's top institutions for engineering, computer science and medicine. We combine academic excellence with an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to research, supporting a culture that engages and challenges students and staff in their pursuit of learning.

The University is also home to a number of world-leading research centres including the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, the Optoelectronics Research Centre, the Institute for Life Sciences, the Web Science Trust and Doctoral training Centre, the Centre for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, the Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute and is a partner of the National Oceanography Centre at the Southampton waterfront campus.

For further information:

Glenn Harris, Media Relations, University of Southampton, Tel 023 8059 3212, email G.Harris@soton.ac.uk

www.soton.ac.uk/mediacentre/

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