Estimation of sound source positions using a surrounding microphone array

Abstract

We have developed the field recording, recognition and reproduction (FIR3) system to record a sound field for later reproduction with the goal of reconstructing the sound information of a room in another space at another time. In this system, a surrounding microphone array is used to record a sound field. A method for detecting sound source positions using this microphone array is discussed in this paper. First, the microphone array properties were examined. On the basis of the results of this examination, we developed a method in which the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm and the spatial smoothing technique are integrated and named it "rearrangement and presmoothing for MUSIC" (RAP-MUSIC). Measurement in an actual room showed that, using this method, source positions in a reverberant room can be accurately detected. © 2007 The Acoustical Society of Japan.