Subject: NEMO HRTF: Survey & Workshop summary From: Brinkmann, Fabian <"Brinkmann, Fabian"> Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:59:00 +0000--_000_17EA4B5F9BEA49D194C34C63363D5A59tuberlinde_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear colleagues, we are conducting a study on the use of head-related transfer functions (HR= TFs) in industry and research. If you employ HRTFs in your research, products, production workflows, or el= sewhere, we would highly appreciate five minutes of your time to respond --= if you haven't already -- to a few questions: https://urldefense.com/v3/__= https://forms.gle/9JwH6kjQC3BwXySo7__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!WnsBpIm22bCgSm1LNm18= hx0oOvTsy9PiJ8jaSYc-1IogGCkIt_yIhabdthKRTANC1GveXYbWnKU9wmiVjYCDxg1Ui7kMRw6= TMMv9$=20 Please note that the survey is available until Feb. 11th 2026. The study is conducted within the context of the NEMO initiative, which exp= lores the prospect of identifying a default HRTF set that can be used acros= s applications when no individualization is employed. Potentially, this wou= ld foster long-term adaptation. One important goal of this study is to dete= rmine whether de facto defaults already exist, as in sets that are more wid= ely used than others. Additionally, you find the summary of the previously held online workshop o= n the same topic below. Best Regards, Nils Meyer-Kahlen, Pedro Llad=C3=B3, Katharina Pollack, Fabian Brinkmann ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= ------------------ The first NEMO online Workshop took place on 1st of October 2025 with more = than 50 participants from academia and industry. The NEMO core team, comprising Pedro Llad=C3=B3, Katharina Pollack, Nils Me= yer-Kahlen, and Fabian Brinkmann, introduced the concept of a default HRTF = set that could serve as a solution when an individual HRTF is unavailable. = The primary motivation stems from research on HRTF adaptation, which demons= trates that long-term exposure, and particularly training, can enhance loca= lization ability with a non-individual HRTF. Deciding on a default set used= across applications could therefore foster long-term adaptation. Apart fro= m potentially improving the quality of experience through such adaptation, = a widely accepted default HRTF would have several potential immediate benef= its. These include making it easier for companies and artists to optimize t= heir work for common playback chains and facilitating easier comparison of = results across different research studies and projects. KEYNOTE Marc Sch=C3=B6nwiesner (Leipzig University) talked about Adaptation and Bra= in Plasticity in Spatial Hearing. He provided examples of adaptation to alt= ered ITD and spectral localization cues, along with correlates of this plas= ticity at the neural level. He emphasized that (a) adaptation to a new HRTF= set is persistent, i.e., the learned set is available to the listener even= after a longer period without exposure to the set, (b) there is no after e= ffect, i.e., the localization performance with listener=E2=80=99s own HRTF = set is not affected, and (c) results suggest a one-to-many mapping, in whic= h multiple spectral profiles can be associated with a single location in th= e space at the same time. JOINT DISCUSSION A joint discussion took place in three separate breakout rooms after the ke= ynote. The discussion aimed to foster a community effort in finding and est= ablishing the NEMO default HRTF set. This long-term process involves sugges= ting candidate HRTF sets and evaluating them through technical and perceptu= al testing. It was highlighted that external contributions in the form of s= cientific or data publication are possible for all steps in the process. DISCUSSION SUMMARY A discussion began regarding whether a de facto standard HRTF (such as KEMA= R or KU100) already exists that could be directly adopted as the NEMO defau= lt set. We are currently investigating this question using a survey. In any= case, participants agreed that potential candidates for NEMO should be com= pared to existing sets that are commonly used. Multiple criteria should be = considered when evaluating potential NEMO HRTF sets, including coloration, = localization, externalization, and others, both before and after adaptation= , as well as adaptation speed. These criteria should be carefully weighted = according to their importance, and it might be that not all criteria can be= met by a single HRTF set. Also, the requirements might be different in dif= ferent applications, from music listening to gaming. It was also discussed whether adaptation, as indicated by increased localiz= ation performance, --_000_17EA4B5F9BEA49D194C34C63363D5A59tuberlinde_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-ID: <216F6BE0A3BAC040B9A6D1CCAD512E3C@xxxxxxxx> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html> <head> <meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8"> </head> <body style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-br= eak: after-white-space;"> <div>Dear colleagues,</div> <div><br> </div> <div>we are conducting a study on the use of head-related transfer function= s (HRTFs) in industry and research.</div> <div><br> </div> <div>If you employ HRTFs in your research, products, production workflows, = or elsewhere, we would highly appreciate five minutes of your time to respo= nd -- if you haven't already -- to a few questions: <a href=3D"https://urld= efense.com/v3/__https://forms.gle/9JwH6kjQC3BwXySo7__;!!BDUfV1Et5lrpZQ!WnsB= pIm22bCgSm1LNm18hx0oOvTsy9PiJ8jaSYc-1IogGCkIt_yIhabdthKRTANC1GveXYbWnKU9wmi= VjYCDxg1Ui7kMRw6TMMv9$">https://forms.gle/9JwH6kjQC3BwXySo7</a></div> <div>Please note that the survey is available until Feb. 11th 2026.</div> <div><br> </div> <div>The study is conducted within the context of the NEMO initiative, whic= h explores the prospect of identifying a default HRTF set that can be used = across applications when no individualization is employed. Potentially, thi= s would foster long-term adaptation. One important goal of this study is to determine whether de facto defaults= already exist, as in sets that are more widely used than others.</div> <div><br> </div> <div>Additionally, you find the summary of the previously held online works= hop on the same topic below.</div> <div><br> </div> <div>Best Regards,</div> <div>Nils Meyer-Kahlen, Pedro Llad=C3=B3, Katharina Pollack, Fabian Brinkma= nn</div> <div><br> </div> <div><br> </div> <div>----------------------------------------------------------------------= -----------------------</div> <div><br> </div> <div><br> </div> <div>The first NEMO online Workshop took place on 1st of October 2025 with = more than 50 participants from academia and industry.</div> <div><br> </div> <div>The NEMO core team, comprising Pedro Llad=C3=B3, Katharina Pollack, Ni= ls Meyer-Kahlen, and Fabian Brinkmann, introduced the concept of a default = HRTF set that could serve as a solution when an individual HRTF is unavaila= ble. The primary motivation stems from research on HRTF adaptation, which demonstrates that long-term exposure, a= nd particularly training, can enhance localization ability with a non-indiv= idual HRTF. Deciding on a default set used across applications could theref= ore foster long-term adaptation. Apart from potentially improving the quality of experience through such ad= aptation, a widely accepted default HRTF would have several potential immed= iate benefits. These include making it easier for companies and artists to = optimize their work for common playback chains and facilitating easier comparison of results across different rese= arch studies and projects.</div> <div><br> </div> <div>KEYNOTE</div> <div>Marc Sch=C3=B6nwiesner (Leipzig University) talked about Adaptation an= d Brain Plasticity in Spatial Hearing. He provided examples of adaptation t= o altered ITD and spectral localization cues, along with correlates of this= plasticity at the neural level. He emphasized that (a) adaptation to a new HRTF set is persistent, i.e., the learned set= is available to the listener even after a longer period without exposure t= o the set, (b) there is no after effect, i.e., the localization performance= with listener=E2=80=99s own HRTF set is not affected, and (c) results suggest a one-to-many mapping, in which mult= iple spectral profiles can be associated with a single location in the spac= e at the same time.</div> <div><br> </div> <div>JOINT DISCUSSION</div> <div>A joint discussion took place in three separate breakout rooms after t= he keynote. The discussion aimed to foster a community effort in finding an= d establishing the NEMO default HRTF set. This long-term process involves s= uggesting candidate HRTF sets and evaluating them through technical and perceptual testing. It was highlight= ed that external contributions in the form of scientific or data publicatio= n are possible for all steps in the process.</div> <div><br> </div> <div>DISCUSSION SUMMARY</div> <div>A discussion began regarding whether a de facto standard HRTF (such as= KEMAR or KU100) already exists that could be directly adopted as the NEMO = default set. We are currently investigating this question using a survey. I= n any case, participants agreed that potential candidates for NEMO should be compared to existing sets tha= t are commonly used. Multiple criteria should be considered when evaluating= potential NEMO HRTF sets, including coloration, localization, externalizat= ion, and others, both before and after adaptation, as well as adaptation speed. These criteria should be ca= refully weighted according to their importance, and it might be that not al= l criteria can be met by a single HRTF set. Also, the requirements might be= different in different applications, from music listening to gaming.</div> <div>It was also discussed whether adaptation, as indicated by increased lo= calization performance,</div> <div> <div dir=3D"auto" style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); = letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform= : none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: = 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: s= pace; line-break: after-white-space;"> <div dir=3D"auto" style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); = letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform= : none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: = 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: s= pace; line-break: after-white-space;"> <br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"> </div> <br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"> </div> <br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"> <br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"> </div> <br> </body> </html> --_000_17EA4B5F9BEA49D194C34C63363D5A59tuberlinde_--