To fill the visual and audio void left by the absence of cheers from the crowds at the venues, the teams behind the host broadcaster of the Games bet on immersive audio experience by placing more than 3600 microphones at the venues. By capturing an array of sounds, from the panting of a runner to the stomping of horse hooves on the sand, the Olympic Broadcasting Services hope to make TV and online audiences feel "details of the sports" that would have gone unnoticed before. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES