A Novel Hemispherical Array Sound Source Localization

In this paper we present a novel signal processing algorithm and array for sound source localization in an enclosed area. This method, which has some similarity to the human eye structure, consists of a novel hemispherical microphone array with microphones on the shell and one microphone in the sphere center. A signal processing scheme utilizes parallel creation of a special closeness functions for each microphone direction on the shell. The closeness functions have output values that are linearly proportional to spatial angular difference between the sound source direction and each of the shell microphone directions, in close vicinity of them. Finally by choosing directions corresponding to the highest closeness function values and implementing a linear weighted spatial averaging on those directions we estimate the sound source direction. Contrary to traditional algorithmic sound source localization techniques, our method is based on some simple parallel mathematical calculations in the time domain; therefore it can be easily implemented on a custom designed integrated circuit