Creating the 3D audio experience
For ten years the Bose® Advanced Acoustic Technologies Group was captivated by the emotional impact of 3D movies and the possibility of creating a complementary 3D sound system. People at 3D movies often reach out to grab objects as they appear to approach their heads.

Yet, while 3D video can easily "enter your personal space," as Bose engineers say, audio has remained "out there, stuck to the screen and theater walls." The Bose team asked how they could go beyond conventional surround sound. How could they create the perception of audio coming from practically anywhere around a listener ?even where there are no physical speakers?

Founded on psychoacoustics
It all begins with the study of psychoacoustics—the science of how people perceive sound. Understanding psychoacoustic principles and how the human ear works allow Bose engineers to produce sounds a listener will hear as if coming from almost any direction.

For example, research shows that two main factors influence how people perceive sound: the time it takes for a sound to arrive at each ear and the loudness of a sound at each ear.

When a sound comes from your right, for instance, your right ear hears it first. And because the sound has to travel the distance around your head, it arrives a moment later at your left ear, at a slightly softer volume. This simple example suggests how you might create the perception of sound coming from the right.

Bose engineers applied such principles to a unique combination of patented speaker arrays and signal processing. The result? A Bose audio system that can deliver the perception of sounds coming from locations where there are no speakers.

Presenting Bose 3Space™ audio systems
3Space™ systems make it possible for listeners to enjoy a fully-immersive, three-dimensional audio experience by creating the perception of sound all around you—and coming from varying distances.

Imagine the sound of footsteps behind you, coming closer and closer. The footsteps stop and you hear someone whisper directly in your ear. This kind of 3D sound is now possible with 3Space audio systems.

3Space systems use small speaker arrays mounted in seatbacks, advanced signal processing and additional speakers around the room to provide a truly three-dimensional audio experience. Sound seems to come from almost anywhere in a 360-degree arc at distances from very near to far away.

3Space systems also offer exciting 4D effects, like vibrations or wind, to further enhance multimedia experiences—including 3D theater, special exhibits and gaming chairs.

3Space audio systems had their worldwide commercial debut in the new traveling Star Wars™ exhibit, Where Science Meets Imagination.