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Welcome to the homepage of Dr Christian Ritz!
I am an
Associate Professor in the School of
Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
I can be contacted via email to: |
Brief Biography
Christian graduated from the University of Wollongong
in 1999 with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor of Mathematics
and a PhD in Electrical Engineering at the University of Wollongong in 2003.
His PhD research focused on very low bit rate coding of wideband speech using
Waveform Interpolation (WI).
Since
2003, Christian has held a position within the School of Electrical, Computer
and Telecommunications Engineering at the University of Wollongong and is
currently an Associate Professor. His is a member of the Visual and Audio
Signal Processing Lab of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)
Research Institute.
Research Activities
Current research
interests include single and multichannel speech signal processing, speech and
audio coding, spatial audio signal processing, multimedia Quality of Experience
(QoE) and signal processing for new media services.
Current projects
include spatial and multichannel speech and audio signal processing and
compression, acoustic vectors sensors and other co-located microphone arrays for
sound source localisation and enhancement, microphone array signal processing,
semantic analysis and processing of multimedia content, perceptual processing
and Quality of Experience (QoE) estimation for media
content.
I am a member of the
Visual and Audio Signal Processing Lab, part of the ICT Research Institute. I am also the
director of the University of Wollongong’s anechoic recording and
playback facility.
Current Research Projects
·
Sound field
reproduction and control in single and multiple zones. This project is investigating novel approaches to
sound field reproduction using loudspeaker arrays that allow simultaneous
reproduction of broadband (e.g. speech) soundfields
in multiple listening zones.
·
Cancelling
Neighbouring Voices for Enhanced Audio-Visual Collaboration, ARC Linkage
Project, 2016-2019. This project will investigate the cancellation of
speech recorded from co-located users engaged in an audio-visual communication
application.
·
Design of miniature co-incident
microphone arrays using 3D printing. This project is investigating new ways of manufacturing
microphone array support structures to allow for highly accurate placement of
sensors such that polar responses are optimised.
·
Acoustic
design of microtonal musical instruments manufactured using 3D printing. This multi-disciplinary project, sponsored by the
UOW Global Challenges, is investigating how to design and manufacture a
microtonal flute using 3D modelling and printing technologies combined with
acoustic models for flute instruments.
·
Acoustic Vector
Sensors for Speech Processing and Enhancement. This project is continuing the investigation of
novel miniature microphone arrays for sound recording and processing, including
speech signal analysis, localisation and enhancement.
past Research Projects
·
Spatial Audio
Coding. This project is investigated new techniques for
compression of 3D audio. In particular, a new approach based on spatial squeezing was developed and resulted in compression rates
similar to those used for stereo audio formats when coding 16-channel 3D audio.
·
Microphone Array Recording and Analysis of Speech. This project
investigated the recording and analysis of multiparty speech recordings using
microphone arrays. The key application was to detect speaker turns in meetings
for automatic labelling of the participants for use within meeting ‘browser’
applications.
·
Encoding and
Communicating Navigable Soundfields, C
Ritz and Ian Burnett (RMIT University), ARC Discovery Project, 2010-2012.
·
Signal Processing and Quality Of
Experience For New Media Services. This project, sponsored by
the Smart Services CRC, investigated new signal processing technologies
for new media services applications including how to measure the resulting user
Quality of Experience (QoE). A significant outcome
was the development of technology behind the AirLinkTM
iPhone application, which provides a user with the ability to scan a
printed newspaper picture and then automatically receive related digital
content such as a video, picture or web page that is displayed on their phone.
publications and research outcomes
Publication List (sourced via UOW Database)
current research students
·
Shahab
Pasha :
Adaptive Signal Processing for
Noise-Robust Speech Processing (Principal Supervisor)
·
Jacob
Donley : Spatial Audio Using Innovative Directional Loudspeakers (Principal
Supervisor)
·
Matthew
Dabin : Spherical Differential Microphone Arrays: Low Frequency Wind
Noise Measurements (RMIT University, associate supervisor)
·
Yuxiao Feng : Adaptive Analysis and Active
Cancellation of Environmental Noise (Principal
Supervisor)
·
Yuewen Zhu : 3D Prole Dynamic Measurement And Digital
Imaging (Co-Supervisor)
·
Alanna
Vial :
Machine Learnt Radiomics Models for The Treatment Of Non-Metastatic
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
(Co-Supervisor)
If
you are interested in joining my research team as a postgraduate research
student you are encouraged to send me an email along with your CV and academic
transcripts.
Information about the application process can be found at the University
postgraduate study page. For information about Scholarships, please see the
University
scholarship page. You might also like to spend time as a visiting
research student.
graduates and alumni
The following students have graduated
under my supervision:
·
Eva
Cheng : Microphone Array Recording and Analysis of Speech
·
Muawiyath
Shujau : Speech Processing using Acoustic Vector Sensors
·
Xiguang
Zheng : Soundfield Navigation: Separation,
Compression and Transmission
·
Kevin
Adistambha : Multimedia Search for Motion Capture
Data
· Mohamed Barakat : Keyword Spotting for Social Media Semantics
·
Chao Sun :
Motif Recovery in Spatio-Temporal Data Project
·
Yi Cao :
User Quality of Experience (QoE) for Interactive
Multimedia
·
Muhammad
Salman Raheel : Peer To Peer Real Time
Video Distribution
Teaching Activities
In addition to my traditional research
activities related to digital signal processing, I am also involved with
research related to engineering education. This has included the completion of
projects investigating the integration of graduate capabilities and outcomes
within the Engineering curriculum including their relationship to professional
accreditation requirements. Research and scholarship in teaching has also
included a focus on the development of professional communication and teamwork
skills within Engineering students.
Grants and Projects:
·
S Nikolic, C Ritz, W Li
and T Goldfinch, “Technology Enhanced Learning for Transnational and
Industry-supported Design Project Teams”, UOW ESDF/T&L, 2015.
·
C Ritz, B James, et. al., “Quality
Graduates become Professional Engineers”, UOW ESDF/T&L, 2008.
Subjects:
·
ECTE401/901 Multimedia Signal Processing
·
ECTE203 Signals and Systems
·
ECTE301 Digital Signal Processing
·
ECTE171 Electrical Engineering Practice
·
ECTE250 Engineering Design and Management 2
·
ECTE906 Advanced Signals and Systems
Professional Activities
·
Senior Member of the IEEE
·
Member of the Speech, Language, and Audio (SLA)
Technical Committee of the Asia-Pacific
Signal and Information Processing Association (APSIPA)
·
Member of the Audio Engineering Society
·
Member of the International Speech Communications
Association (ISCA)
·
Associate Member of The Audio Engineering Society
(AES)
·
Member of The Australian Speech Science and Technology
Association (ASSTA)