System and method for differentially locating and modifying audio sources

1. A method for customized audio based on spatial analysis comprising:

receiving multiple audio inputs from a plurality of microphones at a set of distinct locations in an environment;

creating a multi-dimensional positional audio map from the audio inputs, the audio map mapping an approximation of originating locations of sounds in the environment;

generating an audio output according to a set of positional audio control inputs and the audio inputs, wherein each audio control input specifies a location property associated with a region of the audio map and an audio processing property.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the audio output comprises, in accordance with at least a first audio control input of the set of positional audio control inputs, at least partially extracting an audio source from the audio map as indicated by the location property, wherein the audio source is used as an audio channel in generating the audio output.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein generating the audio output further comprises applying an audio transformation, as indicated by the audio processing property of the audio source, to the audio source.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein applying the audio transformation comprises amplifying the audio source within the audio output.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein applying the audio transformation comprises deamplifying the audio source within the audio output.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein extracting the audio source from the audio map comprises applying phased alignment processing of at least a subset of the audio inputs, the phased alignment processing configured to isolate audio at the location property.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting the set of positional audio control inputs.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising presenting a representation of the audio map in a user interface; wherein setting the set of audio control inputs is at least partially defined through interactions with the representation of the audio map.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein setting the set of positional audio control inputs comprises automatically detecting audio source locations in the audio map and setting audio control inputs at the detected audio source locations.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein setting the set of positional audio control inputs comprises: automatically detecting at least one audio source location in the audio map, applying audio content analysis on audio extracted from the at least one audio source location, and setting at least one audio control input of the set of positional audio control inputs based on the audio content analysis.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating the audio output to an audio-based user interface system.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, collecting agent environment orientation from a sensing device; and wherein the set of positional audio control inputs comprises at least one audio control input set in response to agent environment orientation of at least one agent.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving multiple audio inputs comprises recording audio from a distributed set of personal computing devices and communicating the audio input from each personal computing device to a processing system.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving multiple audio inputs comprises recording audio from a microphone array comprised of distinct microphones positioned within an environment.

15. The method of claim 1 , where an audio control input of the set of positional audio control inputs is automatically mapped to a location of an identified audio source.

16. The method of claim 1 , where an audio control input of the set of positional audio control inputs is set according to content analysis of the audio inputs.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting image data; applying computer vision interpretation of the image data and identifying a person in the environment; wherein an audio control input is set based on the location of the person.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting image data; applying computer vision interpretation of the image data; and at least partially setting an audio control input in response to the computer vision interpretation.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising detecting direction of attention by multiple people, and updating audio control inputs in response to collective direction of attention by multiple people.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein collecting image data comprises collecting image data from a personal imaging device coupled to a person.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the personal imaging device is part of a pair of glasses.