3D Sound Source Localization and Sound Mapping using a PU Sensor Array

Abstract

This article considers the application of an array of pressure and particle velocity sensors to acoustical source localization. This approach can r emove a number of disadvantages of the traditional aeroacoustical testing methods because particle velocity sensors are sensitive to the angle of incidence of the incoming sound and whereas pressure sensors are not. Hence, pressure-particle velocity (p-u) arrays tend to hav e a sharper main lobe in the lower frequency range where the phase differences between pressure sensors are small. In the higher frequency range, phased pressure arrays tend to exhibit side-lobes due to aliasing if the sensor spacing is too large. This aliasing prob lem can be alleviated by using particle velocity sensors such that the sources do not need to be localized from phase differences alone. This article describes p-u based source loca lization techniques and the experimental validation of these techniques in an anechoic envir onment using 24 loudspeakers. Various configurations of sensors and source localization m ethods are studied. The spectra of the sources are determined for each of these cases and the results are compared to the actual spectra and to the determined spectrum using a phased pressure array, showing the advantages and limitations of this new approach.