The ManyEars open framework - Microphone array open software and open hardware system for robotic applications

ManyEars is an open framework for microphone array-based audio processing. It consists of a sound source localization, tracking and separation system that can provide an enhanced speaker signal for improved speech and sound recognition in real-world settings.ManyEars software framework is composed of a portable and modular C library, along with a graphical user interface for tuning the parameters and for real-time monitoring. This paper presents the integration of the ManyEars Library with Willow Garage’s Robot Operating System. To facilitate the use of ManyEars on various robotic platforms, the paper also introduces the customized microphone board and sound card distributed as an open hardware solution for implementation of robotic audition systems.