Paper Info
Title
Human Tracking System Integrating Sound and Face Localization Using an Expectation-Maximization Algorithm in Real Environments
Abstract
We have developed a human tracking system for use by robots that integrate sound and face localization. Conventional systems usually require many microphones and/or prior information to localize several sound sources. Moreover, they are incapable of coping with various types of background noise. Our system, the cross-power spectrum phase analysis of sound signals obtained with only two microphones, is used to localize the sound source without having to use prior information such as impulse response data. An expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is used to help the system cope with several moving sound sources. The problem of distinguishing whether sounds are coming from the front or back is also solved with only two microphones by rotating the robot's head. A developed method that uses facial skin colors classified by another EM algorithm enables the system to detect faces in various poses. It can compensate for the error in the sound localization for a speaker and also identify noise signals entering from undesired directions by detecting a human face. A developed probability-based method is used to integrate the auditory and visual information in order to produce a reliable tracking path in real-time. Experiments using a robot showed that our system can localize two sounds at the same time and track a communication partner while dealing with various types of background noise. (c) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden and The Robotics Society of Japan, 2009
Year
DOI
Venue
2009
10.1163/156855309X431659
ADVANCED ROBOTICS
Keywords
Field
DocType
Humanoid robot,human-robot interaction,sound source localization,face localization,human tracking
Impulse response,Computer vision,Background noise,Tracking system,Artificial intelligence,Sound localization,Engineering,Robot,Acoustic source localization,Humanoid robot,Directional sound
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
23
6
0169-1864
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
6
0.59
6
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Hyun-don Kim1486.90
Kazunori Komatani279087.95
Tetsuya Ogata31158135.73
Hiroshi G. Okuno42092233.19