Spatial Audio for Device Assistants

A system comprising:

• data processing hardware;
• and
• memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
• while a user is wearing stereo headphones in an environment:
• obtaining, from a target digital assistant, a response to a query issued by the user;
• obtaining spatial audio preferences of the user;
• determining, based on the spatial audio preferences of the user, a spatially disposed location within a playback sound-field for the user to perceive as a sound-source of the response to the query;
• and
• rendering output audio signals characterizing the response to the query through the stereo headphones to produce the playback sound-field, wherein the user perceives the response to the query as emanating from the sound-source at the spatially disposed location within the playback sound-field.

A computer-implemented method executing on data processing hardware that causes the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:

• while a user is wearing stereo headphones in an environment, the stereo headphones comprising a pair of integrated loudspeakers each disposed proximate to a respective ear of the user:
• receiving audio data characterizing a query spoken by the user and captured by a microphone of the stereo headphones, the query requesting a digital assistant to perform an operation;
• obtaining, from the digital assistant, a response to the query, the response conveying response information related to performance of the operation;
• determining a particular direction for a user-perceived source of the response information relative to the stereo headphones, the user-perceived source located within the environment;
• and
• rendering output audio signals characterizing the response to the query through the stereo headphones to produce a spatial playback sound-field that maps the particular direction for the user-perceived source to a spatially disposed location within the spatial playback sound-field, wherein the user perceives the response to the query as emanating from the spatially disposed location within the spatial playback sound-field.

A system comprising:

• data processing hardware;
• and
• memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
• while a user is wearing stereo headphones in an environment, the stereo headphones comprising a pair of integrated loudspeakers each disposed proximate to a respective ear of the user:
• receiving audio data characterizing a query spoken by the user and captured by a microphone of the stereo headphones, the query requesting a digital assistant to perform an operation;
• obtaining, from the digital assistant, a response to the query, the response conveying response information related to performance of the operation;
• determining a particular direction for a user-perceived source of the response information relative to the stereo headphones, the user-perceived source located within the environment;
• and
• rendering output audio signals characterizing the response to the query through the stereo headphones to produce a spatial playback sound-field that maps the particular direction for the user-perceived source to a spatially disposed location within the spatial playback sound-field, wherein the user perceives the response to the query as emanating from the spatially disposed location within the spatial playback sound-field.