Theoretical framework for the design of microphone arrays for robot audition

V. Tourbabin, B. Rafaely

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

An important part of a human-like robot is robot audition. Previous work presented systems capable of sound localization and source segregation based on microphone arrays of various configurations. However, no theoretical framework for assessing the quality of these array configurations has been presented. In the current paper such a measure is proposed based on the generalized HRTFs that account for microphone positions other than the ears. The measure is analyzed theoretically with respect to beamforming robustness and DOA estimation accuracy. The measure is then used to find the optimal location of a single microphone and a pair of microphones based on the generalized HRTF database obtained by means of BEM simulation. The results are not surprising, showing that the best position of a single microphone is the ear canal. For a pair of microphones, the results generally show that the sensors should be maximally spatially separated.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2013 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, ICASSP 2013 - Proceedings
Pages4290-4294
Number of pages5
DOIs
StatePublished - 18 Oct 2013
Event2013 38th IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, ICASSP 2013 - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Duration: 26 May 201331 May 2013

Publication series

NameICASSP, IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing - Proceedings
ISSN (Print)1520-6149

Conference

Conference2013 38th IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, ICASSP 2013
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityVancouver, BC
Period26/05/1331/05/13

Keywords

  • DOA estimation
  • Microphone array
  • beamforming
  • generalized HRTF
  • robot audition

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Software
  • Signal Processing
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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