Title: Microphone arrays application in three-dimensional sound source localisation

Authors: Eugeniusz Kornatowski

Addresses: Department of Signal Processing and Multimedia Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology, 70-310 Szczecin, Poland

Abstract: This article describes the problems of use of spatial microphone arrays in sound source location. Questions concerning modelling of planar (2-D) and spatial (3-D) directional characteristics of microphone arrays are discussed. Typical algorithms used in SSL system are also described. The paper describes options to use a single point surround microphone to determine a direction of the sound source localisation. A 'soundfield' microphone with four transducers (capsules) characterised by cardioid directivity pattern. A unique mechanical design of the transducer results in its omnidirectional directivity pattern. The microphone enables 3-D sound acquisition in so called A-format. Upon further processing of signal it is possible to determine, e.g., a direction of a sound source within space. The conducted experiments prove that a simple calculation algorithm is in particular feasible for a real time operation, and application of the soundfield microphone significantly simplifies mechanical design of the SSL system.

Keywords: acoustic signal processing; mobile robots; sound source localisation; microphone arrays; modelling; transducers; transducer design; 3D sound acquisition.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIIDS.2012.049305

International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems, 2012 Vol.6 No.5, pp.436 - 450

Received: 25 Feb 2011
Accepted: 04 Jul 2011
Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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