Optimizing a reconfigurable robotic microphone array

Abstract

Relative positioning of microphones in an array has a significant impact on how well the array can localize sound sources. Two-or three-dimensional localization accuracy of a randomly distributed array will vary widely with respect to the relative position of the sound source. Where a statically located array would be forced to work with its initial configuration, however, a reconfigurable robotic array does not have to remain in its starting position. Given a known region of interest, robots can autonomously optimize their relative configuration to improve localization accuracy where it matters the most. In this work, we propose 2 separate strategies for optimizing such a robotic array. Evaluations are completed first in simulation, and then deployed to a team of real robots.

Cough sound discrimination in noisy and reverberant environments using microphone arrays

“…The authors compared the results obtained using the dynamically reconfigurable microphone array structure to a randomly placed microphone array structure. The results showed a significant improvement over randomly placed microphones [36],…”

“…Martinson et al [36] studied the relative positioning of the microphones within an array and its impact on the performance of the array in terms of sound source localization. Due to space limitation within a robot and its application in multi dimensional separation of sound sources, the authors suggested using distributed microphone array structures.…”