A microphone array device including microphone capsules and at least one processing unit configured to receive output signals of the microphone capsules, dynamically steer an audio beam based on the received output signal of the microphone capsules, and generate and provide an audio output signal based on the received output signal of the microphone capsules. The processing unit is configured to operate in a dynamic beam mode where at least one focused audio beam is formed that points towards a detected audio source and in a default beam mode where a broader audio beam is formed that covers substantially a default detection area. The microphone array may be incorporated into a conference system.

An audio device for improved talker discrimination is provided. To improve suppression of close talker interference, the audio device comprises at least a first and a second audio input to receive a first and second voice input signal; a first filter bank, configured to provide a plurality of first sub-band signals; a second filter bank, configured to provide a plurality of second sub-band signals; a correlator, configured to determine at least one signal correlation between at least a group of the first sub-band signals and at least a group of the second sub-band signals; and an attenuator, arranged to receive at least the group of the first sub-band signals and configured to conduct signal attenuation on the group of the first sub-band signals to provide gain-controlled sub-band signals, wherein the signal attenuation is based on the determined at least one signal correlation.

A target speech signal extraction method for robust speech recognition includes: initializing a steering vector for a target speech source and an adaptive vector, setting a real output channel of the target speech source as an output by the adaptive vector, initializing adaptive vectors for a noise and setting a dummy channel as an output by the adaptive vectors for the noise; setting a cost function for minimizing dependency between a real output for the target speech source and a dummy output for the noise; setting an auxiliary function to the cost function, and updating the adaptive vector for the target speech source and the adaptive vectors for the noise by using the auxiliary function and the steering vector; estimating the target speech signal by using the adaptive vector thereby extracting the target speech signal from the input signals; and updating the steering vector for the target speech source.

A method providing an estimation of a shooting range with high accuracy by a miss distance estimation and a weapon caliber classification following detection of shooting of firearms with supersonic bullets, and by using novel equations constructed from field shooting data for each caliber in order to ensure a security of a patrol station, a border, troops, a society, a vehicle and a convoy is provided.

According to certain embodiments, a microphone array having a plurality of microphone elements is calibrated by ensonifying the microphone array at a first direction relative to the microphone array with a first acoustic signal to concurrently generate a first set of audio signals from two or more of the microphone elements and processing the first set of audio signals to calibrate the two or more microphone elements. One or more other sets of audio signals can be generated by ensonifying the microphone array with one or more other acoustic signals at one or more other directions relative to the microphone array, where the two or more microphone elements are calibrated using the first set and the one or more other sets of audio signals. The calibration process can be performed outside of an anechoic chamber using one or more acoustic sources located outside or inside the microphone array.

A live data distribution method obtains first sound source information according to sound of a first sound source generated at a first location of the first venue and position information of the first sound source, and second sound source information according to a second sound source including an ambient sound generated at a second location of the first venue, as distribution data, distributes the distributed data to the second venue, and renders the distribution data and providing first sound of the first sound source having been performed with localization processing based on the position information of the first sound source, and second sound of the second sound source, at the second venue.

A microphone array is configured to select an optimal pickup pattern of a microphone array including at least two microphones each associated with a predefined microphone pickup pattern. The optimal pickup pattern is selected from a list of predefined pickup patterns including the predefined microphone pickup patterns and predefined mixed pickup patterns. A method of selecting an optimal pickup pattern includes receiving microphone audio signals from the microphones to establish a plurality of microphone audio signals and mixing them in accordance with the plurality of predefined mixed pickup patterns to establish a plurality of mixed audio signals. Individual level characteristics of respective individual microphone audio signals and of respective individual mixed audio signals are determined, and an optimal pickup pattern is selected from the list of predefined pickup patterns based on the individual level characteristics.

An electronic apparatus includes: a memory storing a first threshold value and a second threshold value corresponding to a receiving direction of a wake-up word, a sound receiver comprising sound receiving circuitry, and a processor configured to: identify a receiving direction of the sound based on a sound received through the sound receiver, based on a similarity between sound data obtained in response to the received sound and the wake-up word being greater than or equal to the first threshold value corresponding to the identified receiving direction, perform voice recognition for a subsequent sound received through the sound receiver, and based on the similarity being less than the first threshold value and greater than or equal to the second threshold value, change the first threshold value.

A system for indicating a direction to a user is disclosed. The system may include a first unit and a second unit to be worn proximate to a first ear and a second ear of the user respectively. The system may indicate a direction to the user through tactile sensations delivered proximate to the ears of the user by the first and second units. The system may also include microphones to aid in determining the direction of a source of a sound and the system may indicate the determined direction, thereby allowing the user to localize the sound. The system may also function as hearing aids. The system may aid individuals with hearing disabilities by alerting them to the direction of the source of a sound.

An audio recording apparatus provided with a heat radiation fan comprises at least one processor and/or circuit configured to function as following units: an acquiring unit configured to acquire a type of microphone used to record audio; a control unit configured to control a rotation frequency for driving the heat radiation fan; and a recording unit configured to record audio acquired by the used microphone, wherein the control unit changes the rotation frequency of the heat radiation fan according to the type of the used microphone acquired by the acquiring unit.