Computer Algorithm Through Signaled Microphones Determines Spatial Dimensions

(EPFL, June 18, 2013)

At EPFL, a team from the Audiovisual Communications Laboratory (LCAV), under the direction of Professor Martin Vetterli, has developed a computer algorithm that can measure the dimensions of a room using just a few microphones. While the microphone picks up sounds from the source, an algorithm is generated comparing the signals from each microphone. By using “Euclidean distance matrices,” the system can tell whether the echo is rebounding for the first or second time, and determine the unique “signature” of each of the walls. However, in an empty room or “clean” sound source, their results confirmed the validity of the approach. With this research, there are a variety of possible applications in areas such as architetual acoustics, forensic science, and mobile devices.