Novel beamformers suggested by monaural localization techniques

A conventional sonar capable of high resolution beamforming in azimuth and elevation requires a large and expensive two dimensional matrix of transducer elements. Animals however are capable of localization, even with only one ear, and their sound collection system is very much simpler requiring only a single receiver set in an irregular passive reflector, the pinna. The objective of this paper is to describe progress towards developing totally new beamforming techniques using ideas gained from animal monaural localization mechanisms. A sonar system relying on a receiving structure comparable with the pinna rather than on a matrix array could have enormous cost advantages over conventional systems, both with the receptor and with the subsequent processor. In very low frequency passive applications the complex reflector might even be some very large naturally occurring boundary such as a harbour. This paper proposes a possible mechanism of monaural localization and includes computer simulations to demonstrate its effectiveness