Automated evaluation of acoustic talker direction finder algorithms in a computer-controlled varechoic chamber

Abstract

Acoustic talker direction finders have potential applications to camera pointing for teleconferencing and microphone array beam steering for suppressing reverberation in all types of communication and voice processing systems. This paper describes a laboratory setup and computer interface that was developed for testing talker direction finder algorithms in the Bell Labs varechoic chamber, which is a room with computer-controlled absorbing panels. The procedure utilizes the full capability of the facility by automatically stepping through a sequence of room panel configurations, outputting a digital speech signal, running the processor, and collecting the data. The advantage of this technique is that it allows for testing under a multitude of different acoustic conditions in the same physical location, thereby enabling a general characterization of the algorithm under evaluation.