A three-stage framework to active source localization from a binaural head

This paper takes place within the field of binaural localization in robotics. The aim is to design “active” schemes, which combine the signals sensed by a binaural head with its motor commands so as to overcome limitations occurring in a static context: front-back confusion, non-observability of hidden variables, etc. A three-stage strategy is proposed, which entails: the short-term detection and localization of sources from the short-term analysis of the binaural stream; the assimilation of these data over time and the fusion with the motor commands of the binaural sensor; the improvement of this fusion through the feedback control of the binaural sensor. For each stage, the theoretical bases, some achievements and open problems are outlined.