Geometry-Dependent Performance in Sound Localization: A Study of 18-Element Microphone Arrays

This study examines the performance of six different two-dimensional, 18-element microphone array geometries—BK, Ring, Reuleaux, Logarithmic, Triangle, and Starfish—for sound source localization. The arrays’ performances are systematically evaluated using beamforming algorithms and acoustic pressure reconstruction, focusing on key metrics such as main lobe width, side lobe magnitude, reconstruction error, and resolution quality over frequencies ranging from 0 to 3000 Hz. Additionally, the study investigates the adaptability of these configurations at various distances and explores their frequency-dependent behavior. The results indicate that array geometry substantially impacts localization accuracy, with the Starfish configuration demonstrating superior overall performance, exhibiting the narrowest main lobe width, highest main lobe amplitude, lowest reconstruction error, and consistently high resolution. Thus, the Starfish configuration is recommended as optimal for effective sound source localization applications.