Search Disaster Victims using Sound Source Localization
This addresses the challenge of search and rescue in disaster areas for victims and responders, but it is incremental as it applies existing SSL methods to a specific domain.
The paper tackles the problem of locating disaster victims by developing a system that uses a cubical microphone array and GCC-PHAT for sound source localization in 3D space, enabling an autonomous vehicle to navigate towards stationary sound sources like human voices in low-visibility scenarios.
Sound Source Localization (SSL) are used to estimate the position of sound sources. Various methods have been used for detecting sound and its localization. This paper presents a system for stationary sound source localization by cubical microphone array consisting of eight microphones placed on four vertical adjacent faces which is mounted on three wheel omni-directional drive for the inspection and monitoring of the disaster victims in disaster areas. The proposed method localizes sound source on a 3D space by grid search method using Generalized Cross Correlation Phase Transform (GCC-PHAT) which is robust when operating in real life scenario where there is lack of visibility. The computed azimuth and elevation angle of victimized human voice are fed to embedded omni-directional drive system which navigates the vehicle automatically towards the stationary sound source.