Abstract: A method comprises providing at least one processing unit comprising a decomposing section and a playback section; receiving, at the decomposing section, audio data generated via an array of microphones, the audio data representing an acoustic scene; decomposing the audio data into a plurality of signals representing components of the acoustic scene arriving from a plurality of directions, using the decomposing section; and rendering the audio components for a listener based on the plurality of directions of the audio components, using the playback section.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a plurality of microphone units including at least a first microphone unit and a second microphone unit, each of the first and second microphone units comprising a microphone, an analog-to-digital converter, and a local memory. The microphone is configured to capture an analog audio signal. The analog-to-digital converter is configured to convert the analog audio signal created by the microphone into a digital audio signal. The local memory is configured to store the digital audio signal. The apparatus further comprises. a controller unit comprising a processor configured to process the digital audio signals. The first microphone unit and the second microphone unit are operatively connected to the controller unit in a series configuration, the second microphone unit being configured to output the digital audio signal to the first microphone unit, and the first microphone unit being configured to output the digital audio signal to the controller unit.

Abstract: The dereverberation of signals in reverberating environments is carried out via acquiring the representation (image) of spatial distribution of the signals in space of interest and automatic identification of reflections of the source signal in the reverberative space. The technique relies on identification of prominent features at the image, as well as corresponding directions of propagation of signals manifested by the prominent features at the image, and computation of similarity metric between signals corresponding to the prominent features in the image. The time delays between the correlated signals (i.e., source signal and related reflections) are found and the signals are added coherently. Multiple beamformers operate on the source signal and corresponding reflections, enabling one to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in multi-path environments.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a plurality of microphone units including at least a first microphone unit and a second microphone unit, each of the first and second microphone units comprising a microphone, an analog-to-digital converter, and a local memory. The microphone is configured to capture an analog audio signal. The analog-to-digital converter is configured to convert the analog audio signal created by the microphone into a digital audio signal. The local memory is configured to store the digital audio signal. The apparatus further comprises, a controller unit comprising a processor configured to process the digital audio signals. The first microphone unit and the second microphone unit are operatively connected to the controller unit in a series configuration, the second microphone unit being configured to output the digital audio signal to the first microphone unit, and the first microphone unit being configured to output the digital audio signal to the controller unit.

Abstract: A method comprises providing at least one processing unit comprising a decomposing section and a playback section; receiving, at the decomposing section, audio data generated via an array of microphones, the audio data representing an acoustic scene; decomposing the audio data into a plurality of signals representing components of the acoustic scene arriving from a plurality of directions, using the decomposing section; and rendering the audio components for a listener based on the plurality of directions of the audio components, using the playback section.

Abstract: Spherical microphone arrays provide an ability to compute the acoustical intensity corresponding to different spatial directions in a given frame of audio data. These intensities may be exhibited as an image and these images are generated at a high frame rate to achieve a video image if the data capture and intensity computations can be performed sufficiently quickly, thereby creating a frame-rate audio camera. A description is provided herein regarding how such a camera is built and the processing done sufficiently quickly using graphics processors. The joint processing of and captured frame-rate audio and video images enables applications such as visual identification of noise sources, beamforming and noise-suppression in video conferencing and others, by accounting for the spatial differences in the location of the audio and the video cameras. Based on the recognition that the spherical array can be viewed as a central projection camera, such joint analysis can be performed.

Abstract: The dereverberation of signals in reverberating environments is carried out via acquiring the representation (image) of spatial distribution of the signals in space of interest and automatic identification of reflections of the source signal in the reverberative space. The technique relies on identification of prominent features at the image, as well as corresponding directions of propagation of signals manifested by the prominent features at the image, and computation of similarity metric between signals corresponding to the prominent features in the image. The time delays between the correlated signals (i.e., source signal and related reflections) are found and the signals are added coherently. Multiple beamformers operate on the source signal and corresponding reflections, enabling one to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in multi-path environments.

Abstract: Spherical microphone arrays provide an ability to compute the acoustical intensity corresponding to different spatial directions in a given frame of audio data. These intensities may be exhibited as an image and these images are generated at a high frame rate to achieve a video image if the data capture and intensity computations can be performed sufficiently quickly, thereby creating a frame-rate audio camera. A description is provided herein regarding how such a camera is built and the processing done sufficiently quickly using graphics processors. The joint processing of and captured frame-rate audio and video images enables applications such as visual identification of noise sources, beamforming and noise-suppression in video conferenceing and others, by accounting for the spatial differences in the location of the audio and the video cameras. Based on the recognition that the spherical array can be viewed as a central projection camera, such joint analysis can be performed.