Implementation and evaluation of listenability-centered sound separation system

We developed a sound separation system that uses a microphone array to separate children's voices from background noise in general living environments. Our focus in the development of this system is on “a clear separation of the human voice” so that it will be easy for children to use. Evaluations conducted of sound separation performance in previous research have not always measured how easily listeners hear separate sounds. In this paper, we examine the validity of our system design by evaluating this factor from the perspectives of engineering and psychology.