An Acoustic Array for undergraduate Instruction

We describe an acoustic array project and testbed for use in undergraduate instruction and research. The testbed consists of eight high-quality acoustic microphones connected to a programmable data acquisition system controlled by a laptop. The system is portable, allowing for outdoor data collections. The system can be used for collecting data that is processed off-line and can also perform real-time signal processing tasks. The project and hardware provide hands-on signals and systems experience for undergraduate students. 1. INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS As Electrical Engineering curricula evolve, there is a trend toward emphasizing signals and systems early in the program [1] and increasing design and teamwork experiences for undergraduates [2]. In keeping with this trend, we have developed a set of acoustic array projects centered around a hardware testbed. The main instructional goals of the microphone array project are: • to provide a hands-on hardware system for undergraduate students interested in signals and systems, • to provide team-oriented projects for undergraduate capstone design courses, independent study projects, and honors thesis projects within our department, and • to provide research experience to undergraduates, linked with existing graduate student research endeavors. In addition, we sought to provide a demonstration and data collection capability to support graduate research. Asystem that meets these goals must be flexible, modular, simple, and low cost. The system must be flexible enough to support a variety of student projects