Speech and audio processing in adverse environments

Users of signal processing systems are never satis? ed with the system they currently use. They are constantly asking for higher quality, faster perf- mance, more comfort and lower prices. Researchers and developers should be appreciative for this attitude. It justi? es their constant e? ort for improved systems. Better knowledge about biological and physical interrelations c- ing along with more powerful technologies are their engines on the endless road to perfect systems. This book is an impressive image of this process. After “Acoustic Echo 1 and Noise Control” published in 2004 many new results lead to “Topics in 2 Acoustic Echo and Noise Control” edited in 2006 . Today – in 2008 – even morenew? ndingsandsystemscouldbecollectedinthisbook. Comparingthe contributions in both edited volumes progress in knowledge and technology becomesclearlyvisible: Blindmethodsandmultiinputsystemsreplace“h- ble” low complexity systems. The functionality of new systems is less and less limited by the processing power available under economic constraints. The editors have to thank all the authors for their contributions. They cooperated readily in our e? ort to unify the layout of the chapters, the ter- nology, and the symbols used. It was a pleasure to work with all of them. Furthermore, it is the editors concern to thank Christoph Baumann and the Springer Publishing Company for the encouragement and help in publi- ing this book.