A performance evaluation of frequency domain blind source separation using close arrangement of directional microphones

Abstract

A performance evaluation of frequency-domain blind source separation (BSS) in a close arrangement of directional microphone is carried out. When a close arrangement is used in time-domain BSS, it is possible to reduce the number of taps necessary for separation while maintaining the same performance as in separation without close arrangement. In this research, from the point of view of the relationship between the number of taps and the separation performance, the calculation time, and the permutation (output order) unique to the frequency domain BSS, a comparison with nonclose arrangement is made. With regard to the calculation time and the permutation error, close arrangement is superior to nonclose arrangement in environments both with and without reverberation. With regard to the separation performance, close arrangement is better than nonclose arrangement in an anechoic chamber but nonclose arrangement is better if there are many taps. If the number of taps is small, close arrangement is superior. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 3, 90(6): 1– 9, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjc.20300