There ’s plenty of precedent for echolocation in the innate world : bats can navigate based on the echo of their chirrups ; and unsighted humans , at least anecdotally , sometimes train remarkable auditory sensation - based spacial acquirement . But using sound to accurately map a space in three dimensions ? That ’s new .
This week , scientist at theÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale , in Lausanne , in Switzerland , bring out a study showing how a new - developed algorithm use sound to evaluate the dimensions of a space . Their system only requires four standard microphones — locate anywhere in any space — and a strait as small as a finger centering to generate a simulation . It ’s a bit like the spatial triangulation used by 3D scanners — except this system apply speech sound , rather than light . A PhD student at EPFL named Ivan Dokmanićexplains :
“ Each microphone picks up the lineal audio from the root , as well as the echoes go far from various wall . The algorithm then compare the sign from each microphone . The infinitesimal lag that appear in the signals are used to reckon not only the length between the microphones , but also the distance from each microphone to the bulwark and the sound source . ”
The group get down by quiz the system in a six - sided elbow room , but go on to accurately map part of the ornate Lausanne Cathedral , the 900 - twelvemonth - old church building in the heart of city . The study — which appeared in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — only presents the squad ’s initial research , which they contrive to continue with over the next few years .
But that has n’t stopped the squad from speculating about how the engineering could be applied . According to Dokmanić , architects could finally practice the algorithm to get exact measurements of a fussy building or situation . Likewise , acoustical engineer could use it to produce amphitheater whose shapes are based on an idealistic sound . There are also plenty of more world - change US : 911 operators could determine what character of room a telephoner is in . At the same sentence , as with all powerful technology , it ’s potential to imagine this kind of system of rules being used for more sinister use . Either fashion , it ’s a entrancing piece of research — check up on out the reporthere . [ GizMag ]
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