Training of acoustic models for far-field vocalization processing systems

A computer-implemented audio processing method, comprising:

• training, by a control system that comprises one or more processors and one or more non-transitory memory devices, an acoustic model for a far-field vocalization processing system, the acoustic model configured to map an input audio signal into linguistic or paralinguistic units, wherein the training involves imparting far-field acoustic characteristics upon near-field training vectors, wherein the near-field training vectors comprise a plurality of near-microphone vocalization signals, and wherein imparting the far-field acoustic characteristics involves:
• generating, by the control system, a plurality of simulated room models, wherein the generating involves simulating diffuse room reverberation but not simulating individual early reflections from room surfaces;
• and
• imparting, via the control system, one or more of the simulated room models on the near-field training vectors, to produce a plurality of simulated far-field vocalization signals;
• and
• saving the plurality of simulated far-field vocalization signals of the training in one or more non-transitory memory devices corresponding with the acoustic model.