Steering the sound 

VocCom-Audio has been developing and producing innovative audio systems for the military and security sector - Made in Germany - in its laboratories for over than 25 years. 

There are two physical ways of directing the sound radiation of AHD (Acoustic Hailing Device) high-performance loudspeakers: “physical” and “electronic-virtual”. The physical alignment of loudspeakers is very simple: you mechanically direct the loudspeakers to where you want the sound to go. With AHD, this is usually done by hand, on fixt platform or on a mounted pan/tilt head. The electronic-virtual alignment of AHD high-performance loudspeakers is much more complicated and requires a great deal of computing power. Because sound waves from multiple speakers can combine or cancel depending on the relative phase relationships between the sound waves, it is possible to manipulate the phase of the sound from multiple speakers to control where the sound cancels out and where the sound sums. By manipulating the amplitude and phase of each speaker in a so-called array (special arrangement of speakers), it is possible to manipulate the sound propagation (beam forming) and/or the sound direction (beam steering). 

VocCom Audio is the first manufacturer worldwide to successfully utilise these technologies in AHD systems. 

Beam Forming & Steering technologies allow you to direct the sound precisely where you need it. The intuitive VSSTM software from VocCom-Audio allows you to control both the beam angle and the tilt angle of the sound in real time. This enables precise control of the dispersion behaviour without mechanical movement of the AHD system. This creates flexibility and results in the best, most accurate speech intelligibility where you need it. 

AHD’s with beam forming technology revolutionises the way you work with sound reinforcement tasks.The question of whether to use a narrow or wide dispersion system no longer arises. As with camera technology, the focal length of a beam former is not fixed, but can be changed like a zoom lens. The biggest advantage of using AHD with beam forming technology is the wide range of possible applications. Depending on the situation and requirements profile of your mission, you can communicate precisely with distant targets in 5° increments or reach thousands of people simultaneously in 70° mode, all with one system. 

Beam forming 

Beam forming allows you to widen or narrow the beam’s aperture angle between 0 and 70 degrees. Both are possible in precise 5-degree increments. The use of this technology in PAN/TILT systems, for example, allows the 

optical units to be synchronised with the acoustic units. This means that your message will reach exactly the people you have captured with your video technology. 

Beam steering 

B e a m s t e e r i n g t e c h n o l o g y a l l o w s t h e u s e r to adjust the acoustic beam of the AHD by up to +- 35 degrees in all directions. At the same time, the beam’s aperture angle can be narrowed or widened from 5 t o 70 degrees. The use of this technology allows the integration of beam steering AHD in fixed positions without restricting the mobility of the acoustic signal. For example, the systems can be synchronised with the on-board reconnaissance cameras under helicopters without affecting the aerodynamics of the helicopter. 

VocCom-Audio VSSTM software control 

The VocCom - VSSTM software is available to control the beam in real time. The intuitive software makes it possible to adjust the beams conveniently and precisely. This software is available licence-free for OEMs and integrators.