Performance Analysis of Cardioid and Omnidirectional Microphones in Spherical Sector Arrays for Coherent Source Localization

Traditional spherical sector microphone arrays using omnidirectional microphones face limitations in modal strength and spatial resolution, especially within spherical sector configurations. This study aims to enhance array performance by developing a spherical sector array employing first-order car...

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Main Authors: Chibuzo Joseph Nnonyelu, Meng Jiang, Marianthi Adamopoulou, Jan Lundgren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/23/7572
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author Chibuzo Joseph Nnonyelu
Meng Jiang
Marianthi Adamopoulou
Jan Lundgren
author_facet Chibuzo Joseph Nnonyelu
Meng Jiang
Marianthi Adamopoulou
Jan Lundgren
author_sort Chibuzo Joseph Nnonyelu
collection DOAJ
description Traditional spherical sector microphone arrays using omnidirectional microphones face limitations in modal strength and spatial resolution, especially within spherical sector configurations. This study aims to enhance array performance by developing a spherical sector array employing first-order cardioid microphones. A model based on spherical sector harmonic (SSH) functions is introduced to extend the benefits of spherical harmonics to sector arrays. Modal strength analysis demonstrates that cardioid microphones in open spherical sectors enhance nonzero-order strengths and eliminate the nulls associated with spherical Bessel functions. We find that the spatial resolution of spherical cap arrays depends on the array’s maximum order and the limiting polar angle, but is independent of the microphone gain pattern. We assess direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation performance for coherent wideband sources using the array manifold interpolation method, and compare cardioid and omnidirectional arrays through simulations in both open and rigid hemispherical configurations. The results indicate that cardioid arrays outperform omnidirectional ones on DOA estimation tasks, with performance improving alongside increased microphone directivity in the open hemispherical configuration. Specifically, hypercardioid microphones yielded the best results in the open configuration, while subcardioid microphones (without nulls) were optimal in rigid configurations. These findings demonstrate that spherical sector arrays of first-order cardioid microphones offer improved modal strength and DOA estimation capabilities over traditional omnidirectional arrays, providing significantly enhancing performance in spherical sector array processing.
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spelling doaj-art-e63279fb2e3646b98c39a38ac9eda56b2025-08-20T02:38:36ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202024-11-012423757210.3390/s24237572Performance Analysis of Cardioid and Omnidirectional Microphones in Spherical Sector Arrays for Coherent Source LocalizationChibuzo Joseph Nnonyelu0Meng Jiang1Marianthi Adamopoulou2Jan Lundgren3Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering, Mid Sweden University, 851 70 Sundsvall, SwedenDepartment of Computer and Electrical Engineering, Mid Sweden University, 851 70 Sundsvall, SwedenDepartment of Computer and Electrical Engineering, Mid Sweden University, 851 70 Sundsvall, SwedenDepartment of Computer and Electrical Engineering, Mid Sweden University, 851 70 Sundsvall, SwedenTraditional spherical sector microphone arrays using omnidirectional microphones face limitations in modal strength and spatial resolution, especially within spherical sector configurations. This study aims to enhance array performance by developing a spherical sector array employing first-order cardioid microphones. A model based on spherical sector harmonic (SSH) functions is introduced to extend the benefits of spherical harmonics to sector arrays. Modal strength analysis demonstrates that cardioid microphones in open spherical sectors enhance nonzero-order strengths and eliminate the nulls associated with spherical Bessel functions. We find that the spatial resolution of spherical cap arrays depends on the array’s maximum order and the limiting polar angle, but is independent of the microphone gain pattern. We assess direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation performance for coherent wideband sources using the array manifold interpolation method, and compare cardioid and omnidirectional arrays through simulations in both open and rigid hemispherical configurations. The results indicate that cardioid arrays outperform omnidirectional ones on DOA estimation tasks, with performance improving alongside increased microphone directivity in the open hemispherical configuration. Specifically, hypercardioid microphones yielded the best results in the open configuration, while subcardioid microphones (without nulls) were optimal in rigid configurations. These findings demonstrate that spherical sector arrays of first-order cardioid microphones offer improved modal strength and DOA estimation capabilities over traditional omnidirectional arrays, providing significantly enhancing performance in spherical sector array processing.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/23/7572hemispherical arraycardioid microphonesspherical sector harmonicscoherent sourceswideband sources
spellingShingle Chibuzo Joseph Nnonyelu
Meng Jiang
Marianthi Adamopoulou
Jan Lundgren
Performance Analysis of Cardioid and Omnidirectional Microphones in Spherical Sector Arrays for Coherent Source Localization
Sensors
hemispherical array
cardioid microphones
spherical sector harmonics
coherent sources
wideband sources
title Performance Analysis of Cardioid and Omnidirectional Microphones in Spherical Sector Arrays for Coherent Source Localization
title_full Performance Analysis of Cardioid and Omnidirectional Microphones in Spherical Sector Arrays for Coherent Source Localization
title_fullStr Performance Analysis of Cardioid and Omnidirectional Microphones in Spherical Sector Arrays for Coherent Source Localization
title_full_unstemmed Performance Analysis of Cardioid and Omnidirectional Microphones in Spherical Sector Arrays for Coherent Source Localization
title_short Performance Analysis of Cardioid and Omnidirectional Microphones in Spherical Sector Arrays for Coherent Source Localization
title_sort performance analysis of cardioid and omnidirectional microphones in spherical sector arrays for coherent source localization
topic hemispherical array
cardioid microphones
spherical sector harmonics
coherent sources
wideband sources
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/23/7572
work_keys_str_mv AT chibuzojosephnnonyelu performanceanalysisofcardioidandomnidirectionalmicrophonesinsphericalsectorarraysforcoherentsourcelocalization
AT mengjiang performanceanalysisofcardioidandomnidirectionalmicrophonesinsphericalsectorarraysforcoherentsourcelocalization
AT marianthiadamopoulou performanceanalysisofcardioidandomnidirectionalmicrophonesinsphericalsectorarraysforcoherentsourcelocalization
AT janlundgren performanceanalysisofcardioidandomnidirectionalmicrophonesinsphericalsectorarraysforcoherentsourcelocalization