Virtual Audience Acoustic Reality (VAAR) - 2Way Application is an innovative project that provides a Virtual Venue Interface (VVI) to the many initiatives that are being developed to support the sport and entertainment industry as it tries to recover from the effects of Covid 19 pandemic. The general need and parameters of the project have been defined from an earlier Innovate UK Grant (VAAR - Covid 19) awarded to the team to develop a conceptual design and business plan for a 2-Way truly immersive experience for a remote audience, that is not physically at the venue. The implications of doing this successfully are hugely significant on many levels, and go back to the Greeks approach to early government in connecting the masses, but are not currently within the reach of humanity. Technological advances are changing this. The vision of the initial project were therefore humble, based on enabling a remote individual or group to obtain a virtual ticket and enjoy an equally engaging live atmosphere from a music or sporting event delivered via a direct link from the venues sound and vision systems to receive a high quality blended real-time/ "live" experience. The requirements and feasibility of a unique platform and Interface to enable this experience to be shared across a number of social groups and with the artist (or athletes if sport) has been defined and the concept tested in the original programme. This project will take the output from this earlier work and create an exciting user friendly interface that participants can access events remotely, live, and in a way they can interact and be seen and heard in real-time. This offers exciting opportunities for emerging technology and new applications to be used in complementary ways. The Interface will be not only support our VAAR-Covid 19 project but also provide a gateway to other similar and complementary initiatives enabling users to be connected to hospitality (including food, beverage, and hired technology), and opportunities for merchandising and sponsorship. It is an opportunity with incredibly broad benefits. Further features of the Interface will promote agile engagement with entertainment and access to all areas. For sports clubs, players and artists outside of the core event it would not be possible to otherwise share what happens easily. Access to training sessions, rehearsals and other peripheral activities could be provided through the Interface. In this way it fosters greater loyalty and inclusiveness between performers, sports personalities and audiences, in a direct way not seen since the advent of the one way television broadcast. This Interface will revolutionise the way audiences can choose to access and enjoy live content, providing greater reach for audiences and artists and additional opportunities for revenue streams for smaller venues and lesser known artists.

The 'Live' music industry has been decimated by COVID-19, The music industry is in a crisis and every effort is needed to provide efficient ways of kick-starting the industry back to life. The objective of this project is to streamline the noise monitoring required at all open air concerts and festivals by the use of acoustic modelling and historical data which take account of the effects of meteorological conditions on sound propagation. This would significantly reduce the multi-location community noise monitoring that currently takes place, minimising the cost burden for promoters/venues and the local authorities. This project theme is therefore related directly to improving business and industry efficiency as informed by the government's Clean Growth Strategy. The noise management plan (NMP) often enshrined as a condition of the Premises Licence (Licensing Act 2003) includes many aspects of noise control including sound system design, acoustic predictions, pre-event sound propagation tests, public liaison with interested third parties and extensive noise monitoring both within the event and at many off-site locations. This projects intends to use historical noise data and acoustic modelling such that an accurate prediction of noise emissions at community sites can be predicted for a given sound level on-site thus reducing the need for extensive monitoring in the community. The innovation in this project is to establish the dynamic relationship between sound and atmospheric conditions at multiple sites and from this develop a predictive tool that enables sound and frequency levels at off site locations to be confidently determined from sampling data at a central control point. This project would reduce costs for the promoter/venue operator and reduce time and resources for compliance monitoring by local authorities. The project offers a sustainable business model as future events are likely to be fewer in numbers and potentially promoters may seek to run them over extended periods to recover the fixed infrastructure costs. Pressure will be increased on more extensive noise monitoring and control at a time when there is equal pressure on affordability. The output of the project will offer a greater transparency in monitoring that will assist all Local Authorities efficiently manage compliance under the Licensing Act whilst allowing the re start of live events. It will provide community confidence that the build back from Covid is being undertaken responsibly and transparently. This exciting project offers a sustainable showcase of how opportunity can be derived from troubled economic times.

Virtual Audience Acoustic Reality (VAAR) is an innovative project that helps the entertainment industry quickly restart live events in the event of catastrophic events similar to Covid-19 and provides resilience for the future. It also offers an opportunity for a significant economic bounce back as lockdown is relaxed and physical audiences return, VAAR audiences provide a new stream of revenue. Entertainment, whether music or sport, has the ability to change how we feel, and creates a sense of shared connection to the spectacle. Audiences to this point in time have enjoyed live entertainment in one of two ways: by either being physically at the venue or by passively watching a broadcast remotely. The concept of VAAR enables a real and active high quality two way connection between the live event and the remote audience. The unique feature is how this remote audience is fully connected with the content and the venue to become an integrated participant in the overall event and the atmosphere that is created. The vision is that an individual at home can buy a virtual ticket and enjoy the full live atmosphere from a music or sporting event delivered via a direct link from the venues sound and vision systems to receive a high quality blended real time experience. This can also be connected with hospitality (including food, beverage, merchandise and hired technology), delivered to the door, for a more enhanced experienced. Partners and sponsorship are also a further form of revenue generation. The individuals connection is enhanced by their ability to provide their own input to the experience within the venue by way of a unique platform and App. The App and the interfaces at the audience and venue end provides a connection which other remote individuals can join and share the experience as a group, and also with the venue and performing artists or competing teams. VAAR connects remote audiences with the live atmosphere being generated by the artist's/sports person's performance and the venue, bringing a new era in audience participation and immersive experience. The collaboration to develop VAAR encompasses individuals and companies with a diverse range of skills from acoustic engineering, audio visual design, architect and talented singer songwriter. The scope extension will focus on providing a life line to small grassroots venues in danger of closure due to the restrictions of Covid 19. During the project the team has identified an immediate opportunity to deliver a 'lite' version of the Application that can be rapidly deployed across small venues (200 - 500capacity).