System integration for the development of a acoustic camera

• Grant number: 12/01570-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2012
• End date: March 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Telecommunications
• Principal Investigator: Vitor Heloiz Nascimento
• Grantee: Pedro Henrique Hauy Netto de Araujo
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Acoustic images are what would be seen by an individual if his eyes were sensitive to the power and direction of the arrival of acoustic waves. More rigorously, an acoustic image is a bidimensional map of the spatial distribution of sources. Each coordinate in the map is associated with a spatial coordinate, and the values corresponding to each map coordinate represent the power irradiated by the unity area by the modeled distribution. Acoustic images have become a fundamental tool in several branches in industry. For example, images of models are created in wind tunnels in order to design cars, trains, and airplanes with higher aerodynamical efficiency and less noise. Images of acoustic pressure at the output of turbines may be used to improve their efficiency and reliability, and also to diagnose faults and wear in a non-invasive way. Acoustic images may also be used to model reflections in concert halls, with the goal of adjusting their acoustic properties. In order to estimate acoustic images, microphone arrays are used. This proposal is related to the integration of the hardware for microphone arrays with a digital RGB camera, so that acoustic images may be superimposed on photographs of the object under study. This will be used also for calibration of the microphone array. The student should implement the digital filters to condition the microphone signals, and develop software to integrate the acoustic images with RGB images.(AU)