Franz M. Heuchel
Researcher in acoustics specializing on the active control of sound and loudspeakers
fmheu@dtu.dk
fhchl.ninja
github.com/fhchl
Education
Sept 2020
PhD in acoustics
DTU
Aug 2016
MSc in engineering acoustics
DTU
GPA 10.8 (12: excellent, 0: failed)
Sept 2014
BSc in physics
FU Berlin
GPA 1.8 (1: excellent, 5: failed)
Experience
Acoustic Technology Group, Technical University of Denmark
Jul 2020-today
As a postdoctoral researcher, I
  • research on loudspeaker modeling1 and linearization in collaboration with Huawei,
  • teach and supervise students about nonlinear modeling and system identification,
  • developed an in-house tool for loudspeaker-parameter estimation and linearization,
  • implemented a real-time own-voice auralization system in our ambisonics lab,
  • advised industry partners on the state-of-the-art of sound event classification,
  • designed and implement the technical part of a sound and light art installation.
Dec 2016-Sept 2020
As a PhD student in a new team focusing on outdoor sound field control, I
  • researched on large-scale active control of sound to reduce noise from outdoor concerts,
  • developed an approach that makes such control actually feasible for the first time2,
  • planned, executed, analyzed and communicated experiments in the lab and at large-scale pilot tests in collaboration with international project partners3,
  • derived analytically dependencies between loudspeaker parameters4,
  • organized a journal club to facilitate inter-group exchange of knowledge and ideas.
d&b audiotechnik GmbH, Backnang, Germany
Feb-Jun 2016
As a master thesis student in the acoustics team of the R&D department, I developed, similated and experimentally verified a method for global spatial sound equalization by absorbing low-frequency sound using an array of subwoofers5.
Fohhn Audio AG, Nürtingen, Germany
Jun - Aug 2014
As a R&D intern, I evaluated the bending-wave loudspeaker concept by designing and building prototypes and investigated its physical mechanisms and limitations analytically.
Selected skills
Software engineering
I routinely write programs and simulations in Python, Matlab and C and practice version control, unit testing and careful documentation.
DSP
I designed and implemented real-time signal processing algorithms using Max, Pure Data and C, e.g., for room correction, pitch estimation or active noise control.
Physical modeling
I have modeled loudspeaker magnet systems4, vibro-acoustic interaction, and extended sound fields both analytically and numerically (FEM/Comsol).
Data-driven modeling
I have experiance in developing, training and testing machine learning tools like Gaussian Processes, Neural Differential Equations, probabilistic inference and optimization for application with nonlinear dynamical systems, sound field analysis and reconstruction2 and feedback linearization using ML frameworks like JAX.
Experimenting
I prepared and conducted experiments with thousands of measurements (time-synchronized with handcrafted GPS tool) for multi-channel systems, week-long automated outdoor sound propagation, and (non)linear loudspeaker parameters.
Languages
My mother tongue is German. I speak English and Danish fluently.
Trivia
I won 1st place at the Danish Sound Research Pitch Battle 2019.
In Feb-April 2019, I visited the Sig. Proc., Audio and Hearing Group at Southampton University.
Off work, I love to climb, cycle, practice yoga, meditate and code.
1Heuchel et al. "A quantitative comparison of linear and nonlinear loudspeaker models." ICA (2022)
2Heuchel et al. "Large-scale outdoor sound field control." J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 148.4 (2020)
3Heuchel et al. "Sound field control for reduction of noise from outdoor concerts." AES Conv. 145 (2018)
4Agerkvist and Heuchel. "On the Interdependence of Loudspeaker Motor Nonlinearities." AES Conv. 145 (2018)
5Heuchel et al. "Active room compensation for sound reinforcement using sound field separation techniques." J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 143.3 (2018)
Franz M. Heuchel
List of publications
Thesis
Heuchel, F. M. (2020). Sound field control for outdoor concerts. PhD thesis. Technical Univeristity of Denmark.
Heuchel, F. M. (2016). Placement of subwoofers in indoor venues for optimal distribution of sound. Master's thesis. Technical University of Denmark.
Journal
Caviedes-Nozal, D., Riis, N. A. B., Heuchel, F. M., Brunskog, J., Gerstoft, P., & Fernandez-Grande, E. (2021). Gaussian processes for sound field reconstruction. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 149(2), 1107–1119. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0003497
Heuchel, F. M., Nozal, D. C., Brunskog, J., Agerkvist, F. T., & Fernandez Grande, E. (2020). Large-scale outdoor sound field control. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 148(4), 2392–2402. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0002252
Caviedes Nozal, D., Heuchel, F. M., Brunskog, J., Riis, N. A. B., & Fernandez Grande, E. (2019). A bayesian spherical harmonics source radiation model for sound field control. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 146(5), 3425–3435. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5133384
Heuchel, F. M., Fernandez Grande, E., Agerkvist, F. T., & Shabalina, E. (2018). Active room compensation for sound reinforcement using sound field separation techniques. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 143(3), 1346–1354. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5024903
Conference
Caviedes Nozal, D., Heuchel, F. M., Agerkvist, F. T., & Brunskog, J. (2019). The effect of atmospheric conditions on sound propagation and its impact on the outdoor sound field control. Proceedings of Internoise 2019.
Brunskog, J., Heuchel, F. M., Caviedes Nozal, D., Song, M., Agerkvist, F. T., Fernandez Grande, E., & Gallo, E. (2019). Full-scale outdoor concert adaptive sound field control. Proceedings of 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, 1170–1177. https://doi.org/10.18154/RWTH-CONV-239890
Heuchel, F. M., Caviedes Nozal, D., Fernandez Grande, E., Brunskog, J., & Agerkvist, F. T. (2019). Adapting transfer functions to changes in atmospheric conditions for outdoor sound field control. Proceedings of 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, 1178–1183. https://doi.org/10.18154/RWTH-CONV-239982
Agerkvist, F. T., & Heuchel, F. M. (2018). On the interdependence of loudspeaker motor nonlinearities. Proceedings of 145th Audio Engineering Society Convention.
Heuchel, F. M., Caviedes Nozal, D., Agerkvist, F. T., & Brunskog, J. (2018). Sound field control for reduction of noise from outdoor concerts. Proceedings of 145th Audio Engineering Society Convention.
Heuchel, F. M., Caviedes Nozal, D., Brunskog, J., Fernandez Grande, E., & Agerkvist, F. T. (2017). An adaptive, data driven sound field control strategy for outdoor concerts. Proceedings of 2017 AES International Conference on Sound Reinforcement, 2017-.