• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.91-103
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• 2022

Determination of sound source characteristics such as: sound volume, direction and distance to the source is one of the important techniques for unmanned systems like autonomous vehicles, robot systems and AI speakers. There are multiple methods of determining the direction and distance to the sound source, e.g., using a radar, a rider, an ultrasonic wave and a RF signal with a sound. These methods require the transmission of signals and cannot accurately identify sound sources generated in the obstructed region due to obstacles. In this paper, we have implemented and evaluated a method of detecting and identifying the sound in the audible frequency band by a method of recognizing the volume, direction, and distance to the sound source that is generated in the periphery including the invisible region. A cross-shaped based sound source recognition algorithm, which is mainly used for identifying a sound source, can measure the volume and locate the direction of the sound source, but the method has a problem with "blind spots". In addition, a serious limitation for this type of algorithm is lack of capability to determine the distance to the sound source. In order to overcome the limitations of this existing method, we propose a QRAS-based algorithm that uses rectangular-shaped technology. This method can determine the volume, direction, and distance to the sound source, which is an improvement over the cross-shaped based algorithm. The QRAS-based algorithm for the OSSD uses 6 AITDs derived from four microphones which are deployed in a rectangular-shaped configuration. The QRAS-based algorithm can solve existing problems of the cross-shaped based algorithms like blind spots, and it can determine the distance to the sound source. Experiments have demonstrated that the proposed QRAS-based algorithm for OSSD can reliably determine sound volume along with direction and distance to the sound source, which avoiding blind spots.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.233-247
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• 2023

Recently, research on detecting objects in hidden spaces beyond the direct line-of-sight of observers has received attention. Most studies use optical equipment that utilizes the directional of light, but sound that has both diffraction and directional is also suitable for non-line-of-sight(NLOS) research. In this paper, we propose a novel method of detecting objects in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) areas using acoustic signals in the audible frequency range. We developed a deep learning model that extracts information from the NLOS area by inputting only acoustic signals and predicts the properties and location of hidden objects. Additionally, for the training and evaluation of the deep learning model, we collected data by varying the signal transmission and reception location for a total of 11 objects. We show that the deep learning model demonstrates outstanding performance in detecting objects in the NLOS area using acoustic signals. We observed that the performance decreases as the distance between the signal collection location and the reflecting wall, and the performance improves through the combination of signals collected from multiple locations. Finally, we propose the optimal conditions for detecting objects in the NLOS area using acoustic signals.