Sound Reception System by an Acoustic Luneburg Lens

Applying the directionality of a Luneburg lens, a sound reception system for ships is designed. A two-dimensional acoustic Luneburg lens which is made of 253 acrylic pipes of different radii which control the refractive index is used. It has a large disk shape; a diameter of 180 cm and a height of 20 cm. The 8 microphones were installed around the edges of the lens. The sound reception ability of the lens was tested on the sea using the horn of a university training ship as an emitter and the lens loaded on a small boat as a receiver. Both are moving at 20 ~ 40 km/h at a distance of between 300 ~ 700 m. The lens could focus to recognize the direction of the input sound in the frequency range between 300 ~ 900 Hz.