Wednesday, March 10, 1999
Aureal and Flatland to Deliver Immersive Audio to the 3D Web
Aureal Semiconductors, leaders in digital audio, and Flatland Online, 3D Web innovators, announced a strategic alliance to deliver next-generation tools to Web page builders for the creation of three-dimensional, immersive content. Flatland has incorporated Aureal’s A3D 2.0 positional audio standard as the exclusive audio engine for Flatland Rover, a free browser extension software that enables users to view Web pages created with Flatland’s 3DML (Three-Dimensional Markup Language).
The goal of the partnership is to popularize the 3D Web by accelerating the adoption of 3DML and A3D 2.0 and by continuing to provide better tools for Web page builders.
As part of the agreement between the two companies, Aureal will offer the Flatland Rover software as a standard component of their Vortex driver set, included with every A3D-enabled product they ship. Aureal has existing OEM arrangements with major computer manufacturers including Compaq Computer Corporation, Dell Computer Corporation, and Sony Electronics. The company announced in February that it has shipped a cumulative total of 5 million A3D-enabled products since it began product shipments in late 1997.
The inclusion of Aureal’s A3D 2.0 into Flatland’s 3D Web engine makes it possible to provide life-like audio, surrounding the listener with sounds in all directions. Because A3D is tightly integrated into Rover, builders can use positional audio in their 3DML spots with no additional programming. Flatland is the first to use A3D 2.0 in a 3D Web application.
Those interested in getting started with 3DML and A3D will find all the tools and information they need at www.a3d.com/flatland and
www.flatland.com.