Pyroadacoustics: A Road Acoustics Simulator Based on Variable Length Delay Lines
In the development of algorithms for sound source detection, identification and localization, having the possibility to generate datasets in a flexible and fast way is of utmost importance. However, most of the available acoustic simulators used for this purpose target indoor applications, and their usefulness is limited when it comes to outdoor environments such as that of a road, involving fast moving sources and long distances travelled by the sound waves. In this paper we present an acoustic propagation simulator specifically designed for road scenarios. In particular, the proposed Python software package enables to simulate the observed sound resulting from a source moving on an arbitrary trajectory relative to the observer, exploiting variable length delay lines to implement sound propagation and Doppler effect. An acoustic model of the road reflection and air absorption properties has been designed and implemented using digital FIR filters. The architecture of the proposed software is flexible and open to extensions, allowing the package to kick-start the implementation of further outdoor acoustic simulation scenarios.