Voice radio communication, pedestrian localization, and the tactical use of 3D audio

The relation between voice radio communication and pedestrian localization is studied. 3D audio is identified as a linking technology which brings strong mutual benefits. Voice communication rendered with 3D audio provides a potential low secondary task interference user interface to the localization information. Vice versa, location information in the 3D audio provides spatial cues in the voice communication, improving speech intelligibility. An experimental setup with voice radio communication, cooperative pedestrian localization, and 3D audio is presented and we discuss high level tactical possibilities that the 3D audio brings. Finally, results of an initial experiment, demonstrating the effectiveness of the setup, are presented.

[1]  Magnus Jobs,et al.  Accurate and reliable soldier and first responder indoor positioning: multisensor systems and cooperative localization , 2011, IEEE Wireless Communications.

[2]  Lars Eriksson,et al.  Uni- and Bimodal Threat Cueing with Vibrotactile and 3D Audio Technologies in a Combat Vehicle , 2006 .

[3]  Our Perception of the Direction of a Source of Sound , 1876, Nature.

[4]  F. Völk.  Externalization in data-based Binaural Synthesis: Effects of Impulse Response Length , 2009 .

[5]  Alessio De Angelis,et al.  Characterization of a Flexible UWB Sensor for Indoor Localization , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement.

[6]  Eric Foxlin,et al.  Pedestrian tracking with shoe-mounted inertial sensors , 2005, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications.

[7]  Jont B. Allen,et al.  Image method for efficiently simulating small‐room acoustics , 1976 .

[8]  Lars Eriksson,et al.  Enhanced Perception and Performance by Multimodal Threat Cueing in Simulated Combat Vehicle , 2012, Hum. Factors.

[9]  Alonzo Kelly,et al.  Experimental Validation of Foot to Foot Range Measurements in Pedestrian Tracking , 2011 .

[10]  Durand R. Begault,et al.  3-D Sound for Virtual Reality and Multimedia Cambridge , 1994 .

[11]  Bruce N. Walker,et al.  Effect of Beacon Sounds on Navigation Performance in a Virtual Reality Environment , 2003 .

[12]  Mark R. Anderson,et al.  Direct comparison of the impact of head tracking, reverberation, and individualized head-related transfer functions on the spatial perception of a virtual speech source. , 2001, Journal of the Audio Engineering Society. Audio Engineering Society.

[13]  Roberta L. Klatzky,et al.  Navigation System for the Blind: Auditory Display Modes and Guidance , 1998, Presence.

[14]  Richard L. McKinley,et al.  Spatial Audio Displays for Improving Safety and Enhancing Situation Awareness in General Aviation Environments , 2005 .

[15]  Frank Dellaert,et al.  SWAN: System for Wearable Audio Navigation , 2007, 2007 11th IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers.

[16]  W. G. Gardner,et al.  HRTF measurements of a KEMAR , 1995 .

[17]  Jacob Benesty,et al.  Acoustic signal processing for telecommunication , 2000 .

[18]  Robert Harle,et al.  A Survey of Indoor Inertial Positioning Systems for Pedestrians , 2013, IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials.

[19]  Michael F. Bunting,et al.  The cocktail party phenomenon revisited: The importance of working memory capacity , 2001, Psychonomic bulletin & review.

[20]  Nandini Iyer,et al.  On the minimum audible difference in direct-to-reverberant energy ratio. , 2008, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[21]  Isaac Skog,et al.  Foot-Mounted Inertial Navigation and Cooperative Sensor Fusion for Indoor Positioning , 2010 .

[22]  Aseel Berglund,et al.  On Visual, Vibrotactile, and 3D Audio Directional Cues for Dismounted Soldier Waypoint Navigation , 2008 .

[23]  O. V. Prinzo,et al.  ATC/pilot voice communications : a survey of the literature. , 1993 .

[24]  F L Wightman,et al.  Localization using nonindividualized head-related transfer functions. , 1993, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[25]  K. V. S. Hari,et al.  Foot-mounted INS for everybody - an open-source embedded implementation , 2012, Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE/ION Position, Location and Navigation Symposium.

[26]  W. Hawkinson,et al.  GLANSER: Geospatial location, accountability, and Navigation System for Emergency Responders - system concept and performance assessment , 2012, Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE/ION Position, Location and Navigation Symposium.

[27]  Peter Martini,et al.  Indoor tracking for mission critical scenarios: A survey , 2011, Pervasive Mob. Comput..

[28]  Isaac Skog,et al.  Cooperative localization by dual foot-mounted inertial sensors and inter-agent ranging , 2013, EURASIP J. Adv. Signal Process..

[29]  Fang Chen,et al.  Listen! Somebody Is Walking towards Your Car (Introducing the Awareness-3D Sound System into the Driver to Increase the Pedestrian's Safety) , 2011, HCI.

[30]  John-Olof Nilsson,et al.  Recursive Bayesian initialization of localization based on ranging and dead reckoning , 2013, 2013 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[31]  Jessica J. Baldis.  Effects of spatial audio on memory, comprehension, and preference during desktop conferences , 2001, CHI.

[32]  John William Strutt.  Scientific Papers: Our Perception of the Direction of a Source of Sound , 2009 .

[33]  Russell M Phelps.  Tactical Radio Communications Survey—A Pilot Study (Helcoms-PS) , 1985 .