Fast iterative shooter localization in urban terrain using ray casting.

Area of Science:

• Acoustics
• Signal Processing
• Computational Physics

Background:

• Traditional acoustic event localization in urban terrain often requires extensive precomputation.
• Existing methods can be computationally intensive and time-consuming, limiting real-time applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a real-time capable method for localizing impulsive acoustic events in urban environments.
• To eliminate the need for precomputation phases like time matching or impulse response matching.

Main Methods:

• Utilizes ray casting to compute wave equation solutions via boundary discretization.
• Employs line of sight checks to form a weighted graph.
• Applies the A* search algorithm for propagation time calculation and computes wave amplitude along eigenrays.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated real-time localization of impulsive acoustic events.
• Validated the method using firearm muzzle blast data from unattended ground sensors.
• Evaluated cost functions based on time and amplitude differences of arrival.

Conclusions:

• The proposed ray-based iterative localization method is effective for real-time acoustic event detection in complex urban terrains.
• The approach offers a computationally efficient alternative to traditional methods requiring precomputation.
• The study provides a robust framework for acoustic surveillance and source localization in challenging environments.