Sound source localization and B-format enhancement using soundfield microphone sets

摘要

The current work focuses on the implementation of sound-field microphone arrays for sound source localization purposes and B-format enhancement. There are many applications where spatial audio information is very important, while reverberant sound-field and ambient noise deteriorate the recording conditions. As examples we may refer to sound recordings during movie production, virtual reality environments, teleconference and distance learning applications using 3D audio capabilities. B-format components, provided from a single soundfield microphone, are adequate to estimate sound source direction of arrival, while the combination of two soundfield microphones allows estimating the exact source location. In addition, the eight (or more) available signal components can be used to apply delay and sum techniques, enabling SNR improvements and virtual positioning of a signal B-format microphone to any desired place. Simplicity, reduced computational load and effectiveness are some of the advantages of the proposed methodology, which is evaluated via software simulations.