Systems for spatial audio typically demand large numbers of
loudspeakers and audio hardware capable of serving many output channels.
Centralised systems of this sort are inflexible, and, due to their reliance on
specialist audio hardware and software, costly, with a high barrier to entry.
Recent decades have seen increasing interest in both audio spatialisation and
the transmission of audio over computer networks.
Advancements in low-cost microcontroller platforms with support for networking
and audio processing, may facilitate a decentralised approach to audio
spatialisation systems.
Based on one such platform, this thesis describes the development of a modular,
scalable system of distributed audio processors with applications to spatial
audio.Though faced by significant technical challenges,
the system demonstrates interesting initial perceptual results.
Findings are commensurate with a capability, with further development
and research, to disrupt and democratise the fields of spatial and immersive
audio.