Future visual frame prediction for autonomous vehicles using long-range acoustic beamforming and synthetic aperture expansion

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle including a microphone array of a plurality of microphones, a visual sensor network configured to receive visual signals, at least one processor, and at least one memory storing instructions is disclosed. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: (i) generate spatial beamforming maps locating a sound source using a beamforming model corresponding to acoustic signals received at the plurality of microphones of the microphone array; (ii) apply a synthetic aperture expansion to the acoustic signals to increase resolution of the spatial beamforming maps; and (iii) generate a future visual frame based at least partially upon temporal information extracted from the spatial beamforming maps and visualization maps generated based on the visual signals received by the visual sensor network.