A 94-GHz millimeter-wave sensor for speech signal acquisition

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Signal Processing
• Acoustics

Background:

• Traditional microphones are limited by acoustic interference and directional sensitivity.
• High-frequency millimeter-wave (MMW) radar sensors offer a non-acoustic approach to speech detection.
• MMW radar provides advantages like strong interference prevention, directional sensitivity, and long-range detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the speech acquisition capabilities of a 94-GHz MMW radar sensor.
• To compare the performance of MMW radar sensors against traditional microphones and other radar systems.
• To assess the effectiveness of a phase-spectrum-compensation algorithm in enhancing MMW radar-detected speech.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 94-GHz MMW radar sensor for speech signal detection.
• Compared the 94-GHz MMW radar with a 34-GHz zero intermediate frequency radar, a 34-GHz superheterodyne radar, and a microphone.
• Applied a short-time phase-spectrum-compensation algorithm to improve speech quality.

Main Results:

• The 94-GHz MMW radar sensor demonstrated superior sensitivity in speech detection.
• Subjective speech quality measurements indicated the highest scores for the 94-GHz radar.
• MMW radar outperformed traditional microphones for speech detection at distances exceeding 1 meter.

Conclusions:

• The 94-GHz MMW radar sensor is a highly effective tool for speech acquisition.
• MMW radar technology presents a promising alternative to conventional microphones for speech-related applications.
• This novel method offers significant advantages in challenging acoustic environments and for long-distance detection.