Lightweight Audio Source Localization for Swarm Robots

Abstract

The ability to localize a sound source is essential for safe integration of robots in our society. However, its high computational demand makes it challenging to equip small swarm robots with such capability. Therefore, this paper investigates potential means for developing a lightweight sound source localization method. It introduces the Cutting The Plane (CTP) algorithm which leverages recent advancements in embedded microphone technology to reduce the computation complexity of audio source localization. We analyzed its performance and compared it to a software-based approach using simulation. Finally, we performed tests on real hardware to show the feasibility of using our system for relative localization between swarm robots.