Acoustic source localization

About: Acoustic source localization is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5350 publications have been published within this topic receiving 67795 citations.

Bi-Channel Sound Source Localization System for Speaker Detection

Abstract: This paper deals with the problem of speaker detection using audio signal processing, which consists in localizing the current position of a talking speaker in a smart room [Maganti 2006]. This task represents the first step of automatic speaker tracking, which is the overall goal of our research work. An estimation of the current position of the talking person is obtained by comparing the left and right signals captured with two cardioids microphones that are placed in the left side and right side of the meeting room, respectively [Neumann 2009]. The distance separating the two microphones is fixed to a constant value L (figure 1) . The idea of using two cardioids microphones is inspired from the human ears, which act as two sound sensors, enabling human beings to find the exact direction of a talking person with great precision. The speaker tracking experiments are conducted off-line in a small room without echo elimination. The obtained results show quite good performances by using the proposed approaches and suggest that those techniques could be efficiently utilized in speaker tracking and localisation.

Sound Source Localization for Enhancement of Orchestral Music for Multi-Sensor Recordings

Abstract: This research is focus on the combination of Sound Source Localization (SSL) methods with Sound Source Separation (SSS) techniques inside an Orchestral music’s framework. The position at each source is estimated by a 3D grid search algorithm, by means Generalized Cross-Correlation-PHAse Transform (GCC-PHAT) feature vectors and the distances between microphones. This approach could be useful for audio applications in real time as automatic camera steering, videogaming, autonomous robots or auralization techniques. The main scope of this work is to learn in depth into signal processing algorithms for SSL, separation and audio enhancement with microphone arrays in a multi-track music recording. So, supplying a robust and low-complexity method for music applications as the up-mixing of the acoustic scene in other formats (mono-to-stereo, 5.1, Dolby Digital or other) or an audio rendering motor able to surfing through the acoustic scene. Some studies are done to combine SSL with SSS, nevertheless, most of them propose experiments with speech signals [3, 4, 5]. Therefore, in this dissertation we have performed some experiments to assessing, by means of objective metrics, the combination of these processes with Orchestral music.

Bio-inspired sound source localization compensated for sound diffraction by binaural head and torso

Abstract: The outer ears of most mammals are relatively large, transformable, and complicated in shape. In humans, the ears are located on opposite sides of the head. Although sound is diffracted by the outer ear, head, and body, sound diffraction has not been considered in previous biological neural approaches to sound source localization. In the present paper, the effect of sound diffraction on sound source localization is evaluated and a new method for compensating for sound diffraction in sound source localization is proposed in which a similar model to an owl's auditory system is applied to a binaural human head and torso.

Transmitted sound field due to an impulsive line acoustic source bounded by a rigid plate followed by a vortex sheet

Abstract: The propagation of sound due to a line acoustic source in the moving stream across a semiinfinite vortex sheet which trails from a rigid plate is examined in a linear theory for the subsonic case. A solution for the transmitted sound field is obtained with the aid of multiple integral transforms and the Wiener-Hopf technique for both the steady state (time harmonic) and initial value (impulsive source) situations. The contour of inverse transform and hence the decomposition of the functions are determined through causality and radiation conditions. The solution obtained satisfies causality and the full Kutta conditions. The transmitted sound field is composed of two waves in both the stady state and initial value problems. One is the wave scattered from the edge of the plate which is associated with the bow wave and the instability wave. These waves exist in the downstream sectors. The other is the wave transmitted through the vortex sheet which is also associated with the instability wave. Regional divisions of the transmitted sound field are identified.

Using the Concept of Constant Divergence of the Sound Pressure Level for Determining the Free-Field Sensitivity of Microphones by Comparison

Abstract: This paper shows how to use the constant divergence of the sound pressure level in the field of an acoustic source for determining the free-field sensitivity of microphones by comparison. For the free field calibration by comparison when using simultaneous excitation, the International Standard IEC 61094-8:2012 recommends placing the two microphones at points where the sound pressure is the same. The paper shows that this severe constraint can be avoided by using the constant divergence of the sound pressure level between different locations in the field of the acoustic source. The paper discusses the principle of the constant divergence of the sound pressure level and shows practical ways for determining the free-field sensitivity of microphones by using this concept. Along with theoretical approach and experimental results, the paper presents the work performed at Scantek, Inc. for developing acoustical test methods based on the constant divergence of the sound pressure level.