Locating Survivors’ Voices in Disaster Sites Using Quadcopters Based on Modeling Complicated Environments by PyRoomAcoustics and SSL by MUSIC-based Algorithms

To enable the practical use of quadcopters equipped with microphone arrays in disaster sites for locating survivors’ voices, this paper proposes a comprehensive method for modeling and simulating complex acoustic environments using PyRoomAcoustics, and for locating sound sources using variants of the MUSIC algorithms. By comparing impulse responses in PyRoomAcoustics simulations with those in real environments, we observed a high degree of correlation, indicating the simulations’ suitability for real-world applications. Utilizing these simulations, we identified the optimal microphone array configuration for sound source localization (SSL) and examined the relationship between flight altitude and SSL performance. Key insights include minimizing ground reflection impacts at higher altitudes and enhancing SSL performance at lower altitudes with reduced ground reflectivity. Additionally, we found that power variations among multiple sound sources significantly affect the SSL performance of weaker sources. Among the MUSIC algorithm variants, iGEVD-MUSIC achieved the highest SSL performance, successfully locating multiple sound sources, including human voices. These findings demonstrate that the proposed simulation method is a valuable tool for developing and optimizing SSL techniques and parameters for real-world quadcopter applications. Furthermore, the insights gained from these simulations can be directly applied to the practical deployment of microphone array-equipped quadcopters in disaster response scenarios, aiding in the precise localization of survivors. This research significantly advances SSL methods and the practical realization of quadcopters for disaster site applications, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness and reliability of search and rescue operations.