USB microphone

[airman00]

I was using a webcam's microphone for voice control of my robot but its not that good. ANyone know which USB microphone to use for it to be able to pick up sound from anywhere in a  room?
Also, how do i filter out all sound besides the sound in the frequency of my voice?

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

That would be VERY difficult and im not sure if it can be done with a USB mic... I could be mistaken though

most USB mics are usually directional so that they basically point at your mouth for when you speak.

Your going to have to find some sort of boom mic type of thing...



As far as isolating the frequency of your voice, your going to have to record a few high quality sound bytes and use an Oscilloscope to find out the frequencies of your voice and then you should be able to use a simple filter circuit to isolate those frequencies...

[Soeren]

Hi,

Also, how do i filter out all sound besides the sound in the frequency of my voice?

You don't... It's impossible.
Grab a couple of electronics 101 books and start reading for a year or two. All your questions demonstrate a shouting lack of even the basics and without that, all you can do is be the hands of other people building your stuff.

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

Soeron that was un-called for.

Half of the SoR population is probably extremely new to robotics.

[S. Karim]

You don't... It's impossible.
Grab a couple of electronics 101 books and start reading for a year or two. All your questions demonstrate a shouting lack of even the basics and without that, all you can do is be the hands of other people building your stuff.

Wow, excuse the hell out of us for being in a rush to know things.

What a jerk.

[Admin]

Play nice everyone. Constructive criticism only.

airman00, I think you are asking for way more than you can handle.

Check these links, it will help you understand it more:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=1016.0
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=1487.0
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=1335.0

I think you would be better off buying something commercially available than making your own . . .

edit: corrected last link which discusses higher quality microphones

[airman00]

Grab a couple of electronics 101 books and start reading for a year or two. All your questions demonstrate a shouting lack of even the basics and without that, all you can do is be the hands of other people building your stuff.

Did you reply to this topic just for that. 

also ,the reason i have been asking so many questions is because I am looking for ways to improve my robot. This whole USB microphone topic is just a way for me to find out which microphone would be better than the USB webcam(with built-in mike) that I am using now to control my robot.

[Soeren]

Soeron that was un-called for.

Which of it? The part where I told that it is impossible to "filter out all sound besides the sound in the frequency of my voice?" or the part where I told him that he should grab a couple of books on the basics?
On the former? Please do tell me how it's done then, 'cause I must have missed it during my 4 decades in electronics (part of them as a hobbyist and part of them as a certified electronics engineer).
On the latter? So, you don't think he would be better off with some basic knowledge, to know when to ask what questions?

Half of the SoR population is probably extremely new to robotics.

Sure, that's why I'm trying to help out, but when a noob keeps asking questions of which he wont comprehend the answers, I think it IS appropriate to tell that person to get a common basic understanding... And you have probably only seen him unfold on THIS forum, believe me, he's ... Ahemm, more "advanced" somewhere else.

Wow, excuse the hell out of us for being in a rush to know things.

What a jerk.

Do you really think this is appropriate language for a public forum? And did you at all consider the fact that I was given advice that could improve his abilities in building robots?
Well, I won't be dragged into a pissing contents, especially with someone that clearly hasn't got stamina for neither the truth, nor sound debate.

Did you reply to this topic just for that.

Obviously not, or it would have been all I said.

also ,the reason i have been asking so many questions is because I am looking for ways to improve my robot. This whole USB microphone topic is just a way for me to find out which microphone would be better than the USB webcam(with built-in mike) that I am using now to control my robot.

You haven't changed my mind, not here, not on any other forum, that you don't need to get some basic knowledge, which would enable you to:
1 - Ask informed questions with possible solutions.
2 - Understand the answers.
3 - Enable you to experience the joy of creating something yourself, instead of the Paint_by_numbers, that you seem to be contend with.

And possible get you a bit of rough skin so that you don't take any advice about learning as personal insults - Gee, we have all been noobs at some time - but there's no reason to fight off any kind of knowledge or individual thinking, unless you wanna stay a noob.
And if you are so sensitive to how others word their opinion, perhaps that's another reason to study books, since you're paying for them, the author have to sweet talk you, contrary to people like me giving it away, for free but unbuttered.

[Soeren]

Hi,

Play nice everyone. Constructive criticism only.

According to the flack I have had from the rest of the posters in this tread, I assume this is ment for me?
Sorry, I don't see anything destructive in telling somebody that something cannot be done, or for that matter, that someone need to read a wee bit on the subject he/she don't comprehend, but sound eager to comprehend.

But, since I'm too old a dog to dismiss 40 years of electronics for taking up Politically (in)Correctness, here's a deal... You tell me I'm not wanted here and I'll scoot.

Fair deal?

Plenty of places where people wanna learn (just have to open my mailbox for cries for help), so I don't wanna spend my time on people more interested in sweet talkin' PC than actual engineering - life's too short for that, so if you find my presence unbearable, just say it out right, with no candywrappin'

[airman00]

I agree, but please offer a suitable solution to my question. What type of microphone should I get for my purpose of voice recognition?
 Is there a special name for that kind of microphone?

[Admin]

airman00, I accidently posted the wrong link in my last post.

I corrected it with this:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=1335.msg8915#msg8915
Ai-bot mentions the exact same problem as you with the webcam microphone. Just message him, he might have found a better solution lately.


Soeren . . . you miss understood his question. He just wanted to know what mike to use.

It is the curse of any beginner to not know what questions to ask. I was once a beginner and asked the 'how do I make a robot get me a beer' type of questions, too. Yes, I was a clueless noob for many many years . . .

My approach is to understand what they want, emphasize that even an expert would have trouble, keep things simple, then still try to point them in the right direction. This is what I mean by constructive criticism. A 14 year old wont have 40 years of experience to draw from

Lets let this conversation die here. Just send me a PM if there are further issues . . . Flaming doesnt solve anything - time better spent on building robots with lasers!

[Soeren]

It's not the microphone technology or what port you attach it to that matters, but the quality (and to some extent the sensitivity) of the capsule and the quality of the analog electronics (amp/filters) before the digitizing.
You want omnidirectionality, unless you can make sure that the mike allways point at you and that makes it impossible to filter as well as eg. a supercardioid.

Buy a cheap electret capsule (they are very high quality for money) and design a  low noise gain stage with AGC and  a bandpass of around 400 Hz and 4000 Hz respectively, with the high pass before the low pass - and practise clear speak - then you may have a slim chance of getting it to work.