Abstract: A method and apparatus to improve the performance of acoustic beamformers composed of accelerometer-based Acoustic Vector Sensors (AVS) is disclosed. Most AVS are composed of a set of spatially separated microphones, for which tradeoffs exist based on the array size and number of elements, geometry, frequency bandwidth, and system cost. Accelerometer-based AVS are composed of a one or more triaxial accelerometers, each paired with a collocated MEMS microphone. This results in much smaller array apertures for equivalent performance, and a significant reduction in unwanted sidelobes.

Abstract: An airborne acoustic vector sensor for simultaneously measuring triaxial particle acceleration in three dimensions and pressure includes a triaxial MEMS accelerometer sensitive to an Earth gravitational field. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes one or multiple MEMS microphones sensitive to sound pressure and overlapping the accelerometer in frequency. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes a solid body having a density approximating a density of air. The accelerometer is mounted in or upon the solid body. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes a suspension system supporting the accelerometer and solid body within a framework.

Abstract: An airborne acoustic vector sensor for simultaneously measuring triaxial particle acceleration in three dimensions and pressure includes a triaxial MEMS accelerometer sensitive to an Earth gravitational field. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes one or multiple MEMS microphones sensitive to sound pressure and overlapping the accelerometer in frequency. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes a solid body having a density approximating a density of air. The accelerometer is mounted in or upon the solid body. The airborne acoustic vector sensor includes a suspension system supporting the accelerometer and solid body within a framework.