Distributed array of synchronized sensors and actuators

We propose to use a set of general purpose computing (GPC), communication and multimedia devices such as laptops, tablets, PDAs, smart phones, audio recorders, and camcorders as a distributed array signal processing system. A novel scheme is developed to synchronize input and output sampling for a network of distributed multi-channel audio sensors and actuators. IEEE 802.11 wireless network is used to deliver the global clock and data streams to distributed GPC platforms, while an interrupt timestamping mechanism is employed to distribute the common clock between I/O devices. Adaptive statistical processing is applied to reduce the effect of timing errors inevitable on real-life platforms. A prototype of distributed array is implemented based on Intel®Centrino™laptops and experimental results demonstrate a precision in A/D and D/A synchronization better than 50 μs (a couple of samples at 48 kHz).