Learning-Based Distance Estimation

A learning based system such as a deep neural network (DNN) is disclosed to estimate a distance from a device to a speech source. The deep learning system may estimate the distance of the speech source at each time frame based on speech signals received by a compact microphone array. Supervised deep learning may be used to learn the effect of the acoustic environment on the non-linear mapping between the speech signals and the distance using multi-channel training data. The deep learning system may estimate the direct speech component that contains information about the direct signal propagation from the speech source to the microphone array and the reverberant speech signal that contains the reverberation effect and noise. The deep learning system may extract signal characteristics of the direct signal component and the reverberant signal component and estimate the distance based on the extracted signal characteristics using the learned mapping.