Summary:
UCLA researchers in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have developed a system that simultaneously recovers and separates sounds from multiple sources using impulse radio ultra-wide band technology without microphones that is capable of working through light building materials without the need for line of sight.
Background:
Audio recordings have become a powerful tool for a wide array of technological applications such as smart devices that use audio inputs for commands. Most devices use microphones to record the audio information, which works well when audio input is clear and distinct from background noise. While microphones have been the standard source of detecting audio signals, they may not be the ideal device since they have difficulty working when the audio source is not in a direct path with the microphone. The ability to unmix multiple sounds and separate them by source is essential for the development of these technologies. Recent research has suggested that radio waves can be used to detect sound directly via their vibrations, propagate through light building materials, and distinguish the source of audio signals with decent spatial resolution. There is a clear and pressing need for the development of radio-based audio sensing technology since these audio sensors would provide rich information that is essential for improving smart devices.
Innovation:
Researchers at UCLA have developed UWHear: a system that uses impulse radio ultra-wideband technology to record audio signals. The system is capable of detecting and distinguishing sound sources that are placed only 25cm apart and is robust to background noise. UWHear is capable of working through light building materials like walls without the need for line of sight. This innovation could be a solution for the development of future smart devices that need to separate signal from noise with the ability to work through solid structures.
Potential Applications:
• Audio Sensing
• Smart Devices
Advantages:
• Background noise invariant
• Unmixing of sound sources
• Works through walls
• Doesn’t require line of sight
Development to Date:
A prototype of UWHear has been developed and successfully demonstrated with high spatial resolution sound unmixing.