Affordable Audio Localization Equipment Construction
Hey there! Check out this amazing audio localizer project created by some brilliant minds at Cornell's ECE4760 class. Instead of navigating by our intuitive sense of direction, they've come up with a real-time device using a Raspberry Pi Pico!
This microcontroller is connected to three MEMS microphones, which continuously sample audio data at a whopping 50 kHz rate due to the Pico's terrific DMA features. The data is then buffered and analyzed when the software detects peaks in the audio signals.
The magic happens when the system calculates the time differences between the sound arriving at each microphone channel. This is achieved through cross-correlation techniques, a go-to method in audio signal processing for estimating delays.
Using these time differences and the physical arrangement of the microphones, the software works its calculations to estimate the direction and position of the sound source relative to the microphones. To top it off, they've included visualization features, such as heatmaps, that show how the sound source is being localized in real-time, providing a clear snapshot of the system's performance.
Comparable projects have been around, like the one focusing on tracking down fireworks launches. Check out the video for more details!
This remarkable project not only uses a Raspberry Pi Pico, a popular gadget in the realm of technology, but also incorporates it into an audio localizer device. The Raspberry Pi Pico, teamed up with three gadgets known as MEMS microphones, works together to provide real-time sound localization, showcasing the power of modern technology.
