Associate Professor Densil Cabrera
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Associate Professor Densil Cabrera

PhD, Sydney; Masters of Arts, UTS; Graduate Diploma in Communication, UTS; Bachelor of Music, Sydney.
Associate Professor
Director, Audio &
Acoustics Program
Phone
+61 2 9351 5267
Address
G04 - Wilkinson Building
The University of Sydney
Associate Professor Densil Cabrera

Dr Densil Cabrera is an Associate Professor in audio and acoustics in the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning, University of Sydney. He did his PhD in psychoacoustics at the University of Sydney. Earlier degrees include a Master of Arts (University of Technology, Sydney), Graduate Diploma in Communication (University of Technology, Sydney) and Bachelor of Music (University of Sydney).

Current and recent research projects have been in applications of psychoacoustical models, singer voice quality, auditory spatial perception, room acoustical quality, and auditory display. He has been involved in consulting projects in areas such as acoustics education, auditory display design, building acoustics and auditorium acoustics. Dr Cabrera's main teaching is in the areas of architectural and audio acoustics, acoustic measurements, psychoacoustics and auditory display.

Professional Experience

  • 2001 | Program Director, Graduate program in Audio and Acoustics, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning, University of Sydney.
  • 2006 - 2009 | Associate Dean (Research).
  • Applications of psychoacoustical models.
  • Singer voice quality.
  • Auditory spatial perception.
  • Room acoustical quality.
  • Auditory display.

  • DESC9011 – Audio Production
  • DESC9133 – Architectural Acoustics Practice
  • DESC9134 – Audio and Acoustics Seminar
  • DESC9135 – Digital Audio Production with ProTools
  • DESC9138 – Architectural and Audio Acoustics

2009 & 2012 | Visiting associate professor, Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tokohu University, Sendai, Japan.

Project titleResearch student
Improvement of speech quality for a speech room using acoustic retroreflectionChang Hyok CHA
The circadian effects of light from day to nightYihan/anna LU

Selected publications

Publications

Edited Books

  • Suzuki, Y., Brungart, D., Iwaya, Y., Lida, K., Cabrera, D., Kato, H. (2011). Principles and Applications of Spatial Hearing. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing. [More Information]

Book Chapters

  • Reinhardt, D., Cabrera, D., Jung, A., Watt, R. (2016). Towards a Micro Design of Acoustic Surfaces: Robotic Fabrication of Complex Pattern Geometries. In Dagmar Reinhardt, Rob Saunders, Jane Burry (Eds.), Robotic Fabrication in Architecture, Art and Design 2016, (pp. 137-150). Cham: Springer. [More Information]
  • Reinhardt, D., Cabrera, D., Niemela, M., Ulacco, G., Jung, A. (2014). TriVoc: Robotic Manufacturing for Affecting Sound Through Complex Curved Geometries. In Wes McGee, Monica Ponce de Leon (Eds.), Robotic Fabrication in Architecture, Art and Design 2014, (pp. 163-180). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. [More Information]
  • Cabrera, D. (2012). Playing the Room: One's Own Voice on Stage. In Dagmar Reinhardt (Eds.), Youtopia. A Passion for the Dark: Architecture at the Intersection of Digital Processes and Theatrical Performance, (pp. 98-104). Melbourne, Australia: Freerange Press.

Journals

  • Cabrera, D., Holmes, J., Lu, S. (2024). Concentration of reflected sound in a room treated with cube corner retroreflectors. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 155(3), 1747-1758. [More Information]
  • Lu, S., Cabrera, D., Holmes, J., Ferraro, R. (2023). Cube-corner retroreflectors for acoustic support outdoors: A comparison of simple and optimised designs. Building and Environment, 236(110268), 1-16. [More Information]
  • Chen, Y., Cabrera, D. (2023). Environmental factors affecting classical music concert experience. Psychology of Music, 51(3), 782-903. [More Information]

Edited Journals

  • Cabrera, D. (2011). Guest editorial - Building Acoustics. Building Acoustics, 18(1,2).

Conferences

  • Hepburn, L., Ulas, E., Cabrera, D., Cooper, C., Gough, P., Grace, K., Hespanhol, L., Hoggenmueller, M., Hu, W., Ijaz, K., Meron, Y., Pinilla Palacios, A., Parker, C., Sosa Medina, R., Tekmen Araci, Y., Watts, J., Wu, B., Zafeirakopoulos, M., Lulham, R. (2024). Speculative design positions on future liveable cities. DRS2024: Boston, Online: Design Research Society. [More Information]
  • Chen, Y., Cabrera, D. (2021). Using lab-based and non-lab-based audio-visual virtual reality experiments for auditorium seat preference studies. Annual Conference of the Australian Acoustical Society 2021: Making Waves, AAS 2021, : Springer Verlag.
  • Cabrera, D., Holmes, J., Lu, S., Rapp, M., Yadav, M., Hutchison, O. (2021). Voice support from acoustically retroreflective surfaces. Euronoise 2021, Madeira: Euronoise 2021.

Textual Creative Works

  • Cabrera, D. (2006). What Survives: Sonic Residues in Breathing Buildings, (pp. 6 - 9). Sydney, Australia: Performance Space.

Musical Compositions

  • Cabrera, D. (2002). Serenade. Cabrera Densil.

Live Performance - Interarts

  • Cabrera, D., Hunt, V. (2012). Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka. Performance Space, Carriage Works, Sydney, Australia: Performance Space.

Recorded / Rendered Performance

  • Duncan, J., Cabrera, D. (2003). Infrasound - Tidal. On , CD, United States of America: Allquestions.

Reference Works

  • Cabrera, D. (2014). Architectural Acoustics. In WF Thompson (Eds.), Music in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Encyclopedia. (pp. 73-76). Sage Publications.

2024

  • Cabrera, D., Holmes, J., Lu, S. (2024). Concentration of reflected sound in a room treated with cube corner retroreflectors. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 155(3), 1747-1758. [More Information]
  • Hepburn, L., Ulas, E., Cabrera, D., Cooper, C., Gough, P., Grace, K., Hespanhol, L., Hoggenmueller, M., Hu, W., Ijaz, K., Meron, Y., Pinilla Palacios, A., Parker, C., Sosa Medina, R., Tekmen Araci, Y., Watts, J., Wu, B., Zafeirakopoulos, M., Lulham, R. (2024). Speculative design positions on future liveable cities. DRS2024: Boston, Online: Design Research Society. [More Information]

2023

  • Lu, S., Cabrera, D., Holmes, J., Ferraro, R. (2023). Cube-corner retroreflectors for acoustic support outdoors: A comparison of simple and optimised designs. Building and Environment, 236(110268), 1-16. [More Information]
  • Chen, Y., Cabrera, D. (2023). Environmental factors affecting classical music concert experience. Psychology of Music, 51(3), 782-903. [More Information]
  • Chen, Y., Cabrera, D., Yadav, M. (2023). Finding the Seat With the Best View: Stage-View Preference for Orchestra. Sage Open, 13(2). [More Information]

2022

  • Rapp, M., Cabrera, D., Lu, S. (2022). A polytrihedral dome for acoustic retroreflection, and its application to creative-arts practice-led research. Applied Acoustics, 195(108860). [More Information]
  • Mir, M., Nasirzadeh, F., Lee, S., Cabrera, D., Mills, A. (2022). Construction noise management: A systematic review and directions for future research. Applied Acoustics, 197(108936), 1-20. [More Information]
  • Chen, Y., Cabrera, D., Alais, D. (2022). Separate effects of auditory and visual room size on auditorium seat preference: a virtual reality study. Perception, 51(12), 889-903. [More Information]

2021

  • Ghanavi, R., Cabrera, D. (2021). A broadband point source loudspeaker design and its application to anechoic chamber qualification. Applied Acoustics, 178, 107994. [More Information]
  • Rapp, M., Cabrera, D., Yadav, M. (2021). Effect of voice support level and spectrum on conversational speech. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 150(4), 2635-2646. [More Information]
  • Yadav, M., Cabrera, D., Kim, J., Fels, J., de Dear, R. (2021). Sound in occupied open-plan offices: Objective metrics with a review of historical perspectives. Applied Acoustics, 177, 107943. [More Information]

2020

  • Cabrera, D., Yadav, M., Holmes, J., Fong, O., Caldwell, H. (2020). Incidental acoustic retroreflection from building façades: Three instances in Berkeley, Sydney and Hong Kong. Building and Environment, 172, 106733. [More Information]

2019

  • Panton, L., Yadav, M., Cabrera, D., Holloway, D. (2019). Chamber musicians' acoustic impressions of auditorium stages: Relation to spatial distribution of early reflections and other parameters. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 145(6), 3715-3726. [More Information]
  • Caldwell, H., Cabrera, D. (2019). Comparison of acoustic retroreflection from corner cube arrays using FDTD simulation. Australian Acoustical Society Annual Conference (AAS 2018), Adelaide: Australian Acoustical Society.
  • Yadav, M., Cabrera, D., Love, J., Kim, J., Holmes, J., Caldwell, H., de Dear, R. (2019). Reliability and repeatability of ISO 3382-3 metrics based on repeated acoustic measurements in open-plan offices. Applied Acoustics, 150, 138-146. [More Information]

2018

  • Reinhardt, D., Titchkosky, N., Wozniak-O'Connor, D., Watt, R., Bickerton, C., Cabrera, D., Candido, C. (2018). A Robotically Woven Ceiling Structure: Systems Reef. ADR18: Annual Design Research Conference, Sydney: Sydney University Press.
  • Cabrera, D., Holmes, J., Caldwell, H., Yadav, M., Gao, K. (2018). An unusual instance of acoustic retroreflection in architecture - Ports 1961 Shanghai flagship store facade. Applied Acoustics, 138, 133-146. [More Information]
  • Cabrera, D., Yadav, M., Protheroe, D. (2018). Critical methodological assessment of the distraction distance used for evaluating room acoustic quality of open-plan offices. Applied Acoustics, 140, 132-142. [More Information]

2017

  • Reinhardt, D., Cabrera, D., Hunter, M. (2017). A Mathematical Model Linking Form and Material for Sound Scattering - design, robotic fabrication, and evaluation of sound scattering discs: relating surface form to acoustic performance. CAADFutures Biennial conference (CAADFutures 2017): Future Trajectories of Computation in Design, Istanbul: Cenkler Matbaa.
  • Yadav, M., Kim, J., Cabrera, D., de Dear, R. (2017). Auditory distraction in open-plan office environments: The effect of multi-talker acoustics. Applied Acoustics, 126, 68-80. [More Information]
  • Yadav, M., Cabrera, D. (2017). Autophonic Loudness of Singers in Simulated Room Acoustic Environments. Journal of Voice, 31(3), 388.e13-388.e25. [More Information]

2016

  • Cabrera, D., Ashmore, N., Kocer, C. (2016). Airborne sound insulation of vacuum insulating glazing: General observations from measurements. Building Acoustics, 23(3-4), 193-206. [More Information]
  • Cabrera, D., Xun, J., Guski, M. (2016). Calculating Reverberation Time from Impulse Responses: A Comparison of Software Implementations. Acoustics Australia, 44(2), 369-378. [More Information]
  • Reinhardt, D., Cabrera, D., Jung, A., Watt, R. (2016). Towards a Micro Design of Acoustic Surfaces: Robotic Fabrication of Complex Pattern Geometries. In Dagmar Reinhardt, Rob Saunders, Jane Burry (Eds.), Robotic Fabrication in Architecture, Art and Design 2016, (pp. 137-150). Cham: Springer. [More Information]

2015

  • Cabrera, D., Miranda Jofre, L., Jimenez, D., Edser, C., Martens, W. (2015). A facility for simulating room acoustics, employing a high density hemispherical array of loudspeakers. Acoustics Australia, 2015 (43), 77-81. [More Information]
  • Ashmore, N., Cabrera, D., Kocer, C. (2015). Acoustic Properties of Vacuum Insulating Glazing. Australian Acoustical Society Annual Conference 2015, Toowong, QLD: The Australian Acoustical Society.
  • Yadav, M., Cabrera, D., Kenny, D. (2015). Assessing Linearity in the Loudness Envelope of the Messa di Voce Singing Exercise Through Acoustic Signal Analysis. Journal of Voice, 29(5), 646.e21-646.e31. [More Information]

2014

  • Cabrera, D. (2014). Architectural Acoustics. In WF Thompson (Eds.), Music in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Encyclopedia. (pp. 73-76). Sage Publications.
  • Cabrera, D., Jimenez, D., Martens, W. (2014). Audio and Acoustical Response Analysis Environment (AARAE): a tool to support education and research in acoustics. 43rd International Congress on Noise Control Engineering, Toowong, QLD: The Australian Acoustical Society.
  • Cabrera, D., Lee, D., Leembruggen, G., Jimenez, D. (2014). Increasing Robustness in the Calculation of the Speech Transmission Index from Impulse Responses. Building Acoustics, 21(3), 181-198. [More Information]

2013

  • Ferguson, S., Schubert, E., Lee, D., Cabrera, D., McPherson, G. (2013). A comparison between continuous categorical emotion responses and stimulus loudness parameters. 4th International Conference on Information, Intelligence, Systems and Applications (IISA 2013), Piscataway, New Jersey: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]
  • Miranda Jofre, L., Cabrera, D., Stewart, K. (2013). A concentric compact spherical microphone and loudspeaker array for acoustical measurements. 135th Audio Engineering Society Convention, New York: Audio Engineering Society.
  • Cabrera, D., Miranda Jofre, L., Crow, R., de Dear, R. (2013). Audio and Acoustic design of the University of Sydney's Indoor Environmental Quality Laboratory. 21st International Congress on Acoustics 2013, New York: Acoustical Society of America.

2012

  • Yadav, M., Cabrera, D., Martens, W. (2012). A system for simulating room acoustical environments for one's own voice. Applied Acoustics, 73(4), 409-414. [More Information]
  • Lee, D., Cabrera, D., Martens, W. (2012). Accounting for listening level in the prediction of reverberance using early decay time. Acoustics Australia, 40(2), 103-110.
  • Pop, C., Wee, M., Cabrera, D., Tan, G. (2012). Acoustic descriptors for open plan offices - Evaluation of field measurements. 9th European Conference on Noise Control, EURONOISE 2012, Czech Republic: European Acoustics Association - EAA.

2011

  • Hyde, R., Shahriar, A., Hayman, S., Cabrera, D. (2011). 45th Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA) | From principles to practice in architectural science. 45th Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA 2011), Sydney, Australia: Faculty of Architecture Design and Planning, The University of Sydney.
  • Cabrera, D., Stewart, K., Miranda Jofre, L. (2011). A directivity-controlled virtual loudspeaker array for simulating sound sources in rooms. 45th Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA 2011), Sydney, Australia: Faculty of Architecture Design and Planning, The University of Sydney.
  • Cabrera, D., Stewart, K., Miranda Jofre, L. (2011). Acoustic source beam control using a compact virtual loudspeaker array. Annual Conference of the Australian Acoustical Society, Acoustics 2011: Breaking New Ground, Darlinghurst, Sydney: Australian Acoustical Society.

2010

  • Cabrera, D., Lee, D., Collins, R., Hartmann, B., Martens, W., Sato, H. (2010). Characterising the variation in oral­-binaural room impulse responses for horizontal rotations of a head and torso simulator. International Symposium on Room Acoustics (ISRA 2010), Australia: Australian Acoustical Society.
  • Cabrera, D., Okamoto, T., Katz, B., Noisternig, M., Iwaya, Y., Suzuki, Y. (2010). Considerations in characterising an almost anechoic room for interactive spatial audio reproduction. International Symposium on Room Acoustics (ISRA 2010), Australia: Australian Acoustical Society.
  • Lee, D., Cabrera, D. (2010). Effect of listening level and background noise on the subjective decay rate of room impulse responses: Using time-varying loudness to model reverberance. Applied Acoustics, 71(9), 801-811. [More Information]

2009

  • Ferguson, S., Cabrera, D. (2009). Auditory Spectral Summarisation for Audio Signals With Musical Applications. 10th International Society for Music Information Retrieval Conference ISMIR 2009, Japan: International Society for Music Information Retrieval.
  • Lee, D., Cabrera, D. (2009). Basic Considerations for Loudness-based Analysis of Room Impulse Responses. Building Acoustics, 16(1), 31-46. [More Information]
  • Cabrera, D., Sato, H., Martens, W., Lee, D. (2009). Binaural measurement and simulation of the room acoustical response from a person's mouth to their ears. Acoustics Australia, 37(3), 98-103.

2008

  • Russell, M., Fricke, F., Cabrera, D. (2008). An improved plenum chamber silencer. Acoustics 2008 Acoustics and Sustainability: How should acoustics adapt to meet future demands?, Castlemaine, Victoria: Australian Acoustical Society.
  • Lee, D., Cabrera, D. (2008). Analysing Room Impulse Responses with Psychoacoustical Algorithms: A Preliminary Study. Acoustics 2008 Acoustics and Sustainability: How should acoustics adapt to meet future demands?, Castlemaine, Victoria: Australian Acoustical Society.
  • Ortiz, S., Nieh, H., Cabrera, D. (2008). Avoidance of noise-related errors in the analysis of room impulse responses. Acoustics 2008 Acoustics and Sustainability: How should acoustics adapt to meet future demands?, Castlemaine, Victoria: Australian Acoustical Society.

2007

  • Cabrera, D., Ferguson, S., Schubert, E. (2007). 'PsySound3': Software for Acoustical and Psychoacoustical Analysis of Sound Recordings. ICAD 2007- The 13th International Conference on Auditory Display, Montreal, Canada: Schulich School of Music, McGill University.
  • Cabrera, D. (2007). Acoustic Clarity And Auditory Room Size Perception. 14th International Congress on Sound and Vibration (ICSV14), Australia: International Institute of Acoustics and Vibration.
  • Koralage, K., Cabrera, D. (2007). Acoustics of Six Historic Cinemas in New South Wales, Australia. Acoustics Australia, 35(1), 5-8.

2006

  • Cabrera, D. (2006). What Survives: Sonic Residues in Breathing Buildings, (pp. 6 - 9). Sydney, Australia: Performance Space.
  • Skirlis, K., Cabrera, D., Connolly, A. (2006). A psycho-acoustical analysis of vocal effort by opera singers. 4th Joint Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and Acoustical Society of Japan. Acoustical Society of America.
  • Fricke, F., Nannariello, J., Cabrera, D. (2006). A Statistical approach to concert hall acoustical design. First Australasian Acoustical Societies' Conference. Acoustics 2006: Noise of Progress, Catlemaine, Victoria: Australian Acoustical Society.

2005

  • Kim, J., Jeong, D., Cabrera, D. (2005). A preliminary investigation of auditory room size perception. Accoustical Society of Korea Conference. Acoustical Society of Korea.
  • Cabrera, D., Jeong, D., Kim, J., Kwak, H. (2005). Auditory room size perception for modeled and measured rooms. Internoise.
  • Pop, C., Cabrera, D. (2005). Auditory Room Size Perception for Real Rooms. Acoustics 2005, Victoria, Australia: Australian Acoustical Society. [More Information]

2004

  • Willsallen, S., Cabrera, D. (2004). Assessment of music audio quality in a sports stadium. 117th Audio Engineering Society Convention. Audio Engineering Society.
  • Nguyen, A., Cabrera, D. (2004). Auditory and visual spatial impression: Recent studies of three auditoria. 148th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America. Acoustical Society of America.
  • Cabrera, D., Nguyen, A., Choi, Y. (2004). Auditory Versus Visual Spatial Impression: A Study Of Two Auditoria. ICAD 04 - Tenth Meeting of the International Conference on Auditory Display, Australia: University of Western Sydney.

2003

  • Bassett, J., Osman, M., Choi, Y., Cabrera, D. (2003). A means of documenting the acoustic quality of spaces. 37th Australian & New Zealand Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA) Conference, Sydney: University of Sydney.
  • Osman, M., Cabrera, D., Fricke, F. (2003). Acoustic design of small music practice rooms. 37th Australian & New Zealand Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA) Conference, Sydney: University of Sydney.
  • Cabrera, D. (2003). Auditory image size: volume and spatial impression. 8th Western Pacific Acoustics Conference (WesPac VIII): Acoustics on the Move, Castlemaine, VIC, Australia: Australian Acoustical Society.

2002

  • Cabrera, D., Bassett, J. (2002). An Assessment of Furduev and T'ung's method for measurement of room diffusion. Sound in the Built Environment: The 16th Biennial Conference of the New Zealand Acoustical Society, Auckland: New Zealand Acoustical Society.
  • Cabrera, D., Gilfillan, D. (2002). Auditory Distance Perception of Speech in the Presence of Noise. 8th International Conference on Auditory Display (ICAD2002), Kyoto, Japan: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute (ATR).
  • Cabrera, D., McLachlan,, N. (2002). Calculated Pitch Sensations for New Musical Bell Designs. 7th International Conference on Music Perception & Cognition, Sydney: Casual Productions.

2001

  • Cabrera, D. (2001). Acoustical, psychoacoustical and subjective assessment of Alvin Lucier's 'I am Sitting in a Room'. Australasian Computer Music Association Conference.
  • Cabrera, D. (2001). PsySound': A computer program for the psychoacoustical anaysis of music. MikroPolyphonie, 5, 1-10.
  • Cabrera, D. (2001). Simplicity in the sound of resonating sound art. Meeting of the Japanese Society for Music Perception and Cognition.

2000

  • Cabrera, D. (2000). Environmental infrasound recordings. Australasian Computer Music Conference 2000. The Australasian Computer Music Association.

Selected Grants

2023

  • Using acoustic retroreflection in architecture to improve rooms for speech, Cabrera D, Lu S, Reinhardt D, Yadav M, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)

2019

  • Acoustic retroreflectivity in Indian stepwells: Real-world cases to support development of roomacoustics theory, Cabrera D, Yadav M, Australian Acoustical Society/Education Grant