Multi-sensor Stethoscope for chest sound localization

Authors

  • Anita M. McKee Carleton University
  • Rafik A. Goubran Carleton University

Abstract

This paper addresses the feasibility of using a multisensor system consisting of several stethoscope chest pieces for the localization of chest sounds. A signal processing algorithm called beamforming can combine multiple inputs to amplify sounds coming from a particular region inside the chest and attenuate all others. Beamforming can also be used for source localization; that is, determining from where a particular sound originated. These methods can provide a non-invasive and inexpensive acoustic image of the chest cavity for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This paper reviews methods for localizing a sound source using a microphone array. It describes a method comparing the delay between signals received at known microphone locations to determine the coordinates of the sound source. To illustrate this concept, we use a circular array of microphones in a free-field homogeneous medium and use delay-and-sum beamforming to combine the received signals. The challenges of applying this method to a non-homogeneous medium will also be discussed.

Author Biographies

Anita M. McKee, Carleton University

Dept. of Systems and Computer Engineering

Rafik A. Goubran, Carleton University

Dept. of Systems and Computer Engineering

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Published

2005-12-31

How to Cite

[1]
A. M. McKee and R. A. Goubran, “Multi-sensor Stethoscope for chest sound localization”, CMBES Proc., vol. 28, no. 1, Dec. 2005.

Issue

Section

Academic