Microphone Array 3D Acoustic Imaging

Microphone phased arrays, commonly known as acoustic cameras, are used by industries such as the aeronautical, automobile and construction industries to measure the magnitude and location of noise sources. These acoustic images are commonly obtained using beamforming and deconvolution algorithms. Traditionally, these acoustic images use 2D imaging planes. However, this can lead to errors in the nearfield for 3D objects due to incorrect beamform focusing. This paper outlines the development of a 3D scanning microphone array that automatically corrects for 3D objects and provides the correct acoustic imaging focus. New techniques for processing these 3D images are also described.