Robust joint audio-video localization in video conferencing using reliability information II: Bayesian network fusion

This study builds on our previous IMTC03 paper (D. Lo. R. Goubran et al, Proc. 20th IEEE Instrument. and Meas., vol.2. p.1414-1418, 2003). Both this study and our previous paper use data fusion to combine results from multiple audio and video localizers. The two studies differ in the type of data fusion engine used. The former study explored the use of a summing voter, whereas this current study employs the use of a Bayesian network. The novelty of both papers is the use of reliability estimates to improve the overall localization performance and robustness. Reliability estimates, that are derived based on known physical properties of each individual localizer, were introduced into the fusion engines to achieve better performance. Although the summing voter fusion engine used in the last paper improves the overall localization performance, it does not take into account the unique characteristics of each localizer. The Bayesian network allows these characteristics to be included as part of the fusion process. In this study, we investigate the impact of (1) using a Bayesian network as the data fusion engine, and (2) adding reliability estimates into the fusion engine.