Towards Acoustic Sensing in Human-centered Smart Environment

PhD Thesis Proposal Defence


Title: "Towards Acoustic Sensing in Human-centered Smart Environment"

by

Mr. Linfei GE


Abstract:

In recent years, the proliferation of smart devices has led to significant
growth and rapid advancements in technology. As a result, human-computer
interaction has become increasingly important. Researchers have explored
various methods to establish connections between smart devices and humans,
aiming to create human-centered smart environments that enhance comfort and
convenience. However, deploying these methods and systems in real-world
environments still poses numerous challenges. This thesis focuses on acoustic
sensing and aims to develop practical systems that can be seamlessly integrated
into daily life. Firstly, we design and implement a strength-based acoustic
tracking system suitable for narrow spaces. Unlike traditional systems that
require the distribution of localization beacons far apart for improved
accuracy, our system allows for the placement of beacons in close proximity,
achieving high tracking accuracy. Secondly, we propose a method to estimate
human attention by tracking head motion. By monitoring the movement of the
earphones, we can accurately track the motion of the user's head, enabling us
to estimate their attention. Lastly, we address the limitations imposed by the
Bluetooth Low Energy protocol by leveraging the nonlinearity properties of
wireless earphones. This allows us to overcome the constraints of low sampling
rates and BLE compression, enabling effective earphone tracking within the
framework of commercial wireless earphones. Through these contributions, we aim
to advance the field of acoustic sensing and develop practical systems that can
be deployed in various real-world scenarios.


Date:                   Monday, 30 October 2023

Time:                   2:00pm - 4:00pm

Venue:                  Room 5562
                        lifts 27/28

Committee Members:      Prof. Qian Zhang (Supervisor)
                        Prof. Bo Li (Chairperson)
                        Prof. Mo Li
                        Dr. Wei Wang


**** ALL are Welcome ****