Insight on the utilization of the noise estimation techniques in phase aware modified multiband spectral subtraction

ABSTRACT

The standard technique of all Spectral Subtraction algorithms that are used for Speech Enhancement (SE) is to find out the clean speech by subtracting the noise estimate from the noisy speech spectrum. So the essential criterion is the accuracy of noise estimation (NE) and it affects the potency of the SE. The traditional NE algorithms use voice activity detection (VAD) for noise estimation, which is troublesome at the cases of low SNR condition and when the noise characteristics are not stationary. The effect of noise is also different in different frequency bands of the noisy speech spectrum. In this paper, several NE techniques are implemented along with a phase aware and frequency dependent modified multi-band spectral subtraction. To give additional intelligibility to SE, the phase of the enhanced signal is modified using the phase spectrum compensation function. Finally, the mentioned methods are simulated and compared using several objective evaluation measures with the help of standard speech database.

KEYWORDS:

• Speech enhancement
• Speech denoising
• Spectral subtraction
• Noise estimation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tusar Kanti Dash

Tusar Kanti Dash has received B.E. Degree from the Utkal University, India, and M.Tech. Degree from IIT Kharagpur, India in Electronics & Communications Engineering. He is working at C V Raman College of Engineering, Bhubaneswar, India as Assistant Professor in the Department of Electronics & Telecom Engineering. He is currently pursuing Ph.D. at Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, India. His research interests include Digital Signal Processing, Audio Signal Processing, Speech Enhancement, and Evolutionary Computing.

Sandeep Singh Solanki

Dr. Sandeep Singh Solanki has received BE degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from BLDEA’s College of Engg. And Technology, India and M.E. & Ph.D. degree in Electronics And Communication Engineering from B.I.T. Mesra, Ranchi, India. He is currently working as Director of the University Polytechnic, BIT, Mesra and as Professor in the Electronics and Communication Engineering, BIT, Mesra. He has got 17 years of experience in Teaching and Research and guiding more than 35 PG and 6 Ph.D. scholars and has published more than 30 research papers. His research interests include Signal Processing, Audio Signal Processing, Instrumentation, and Automation.