Active Noise Cancellation for Audio Signals Using
Neural Network based Adaptive Filters
Harsh Bhate, Karthik Natarajan and Adhithya
Ramamoorthy
Department of Electronics and Communication
Engineering,
SRM University,
Chennai, India
adhiram19@gmail.com
​ Active noise control, the technique of achieving
Abstract—
noise reduction using an electronically generated anti – noise, has
been around for a while. Traditional implementations of active
noise control involve the use of algorithms such as Least Mean
Squares (LMS). This paper deals with the subject of achieving
active noise control for an acoustic signal using a neural network
based adaptive filter.
Keywords—Active Noise Cancellation, Neural Networks,
Adaptive Filters, Gradient Descent, Least Mean Square
I. INTRODUCTION
Noise, or unwanted signal(s), is an integral part of nature
and its study a subject in itself. Traditional methods of
controlling noise have been either cost – prohibitive and/or
bulky and inefficient. This paper looks into the problem of
achieving sufficient active noise control for audio frequencies
on the lower end of the spectrum in a way that is cost –
effective, computationally lean and scalable. This paper begins
with the description of the problem and the traditional
approaches to achieving sufficient noise control and later
moves on to a qualitative discussion on the nature of a method
for achieving active noise control using neural nets. This is
followed through by computer simulations and benchmarking
against traditional methods. Future scope of the paper involves
the possibility of physical implementation of the said method.
Natarajan V.
Professor, Department of Electronics and Communication
Engineering,
SRM University,
Chennai, India
natarajan.v@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in
II. EXISTING SOLUTION
A. Plant description
Figure 1. Feedforward System for 1D Duct System ​[1]
The plant model for implementing active noise control
involve the use of feedforward system design wherein a
reference microphone listens to the noisy signal and a control
element tries to estimate the anti – noise signal and
subsequently introducing it through a speaker. The acoustic
output thus achieved is benchmarked with the help of an error
microphone which acts as the feedback component of the
system. With the use of the two microphones, the controller
tries to estimate to get the most optimized value of the noisy
signal for cancellation.
B. Least Means Square (LMS) Algorithm
The Least Means Square (LMS) algorithm is one of the
most common error reducing algorithm due to its simplicity.
The LMS algorithm is a gradient descent type algorithm that
works by traversing through the negative of the error function
gradient to arrive at the minima.
 Figure 2. LMS Adaptive Filter ​[2]
The LMS algorithm involves the use of an adaptive
algorithm that updates the weight of a filter to achieve
adaptive filtering. The weights are updated as follows:
wn+1 = wn − μ∇ε[n] (1)
Here, wn represents the filter weights at nth instant, μ the
step size and ε[n] the error at the nth instant. The step size
determines the rate of convergence in the algorithm. It also
determines the stability of the algorithm.
III. NEURAL NETWORK BASED ADAPTIVE
FILTER
Artificial Neural Network are computational constructs
loosely based on biological neural networks. The two neural
network architecture of interest in this paper are ADALINE
(Adaptive Linear Neuron) and MADALINE (Multilayer
Adaptive Linear Neuron) neural network. Abbreviations and
Acronyms.
C. ADALINE Neural Net
Figure 3. ADALINE Neural Network ​[3]
ADALINE neural network are single layer neural network.
The architecture takes the weighted inputs and passes it
through an input function such as addition. The output of
the input function helps in descision making of the
activation function which helps in quantizing the output of
the network. The network adapts the weights of the inputs
based on the error using some learning methodology.
D. MADALINE Neural Network
Figure 4. MADALINE Neural Network ​[3]
MADALINE neural network are multi-layer neural
network. The architecture takes the inputs into a layer of
ADALINE neuron and the output is passed on to multiple
layer of neurons until the final layer whereby the output is
processed.
E. ADALINE vs MADALINE Neural Network
While ADALINE neural networks provide easy
computations but they are only good at noise cancellation with
linearly separable signals. MADALINE neural networks do a
better job at complex signals. [4]
F. ADALINE Neural Network based Adaptive Filter
Filters are causal systems and thus, to implement an
adaptive filter out of neural network involves the inclusion of
an causal element in the form of a tapped delay. Thus, the
following architecture is arrived:
Figure 5. Linear Adaptive Filter with Tapped Delay ​[5]
G. Widrow – Hoff Learning Rule
The Widrow – Hoff Learning rule is an LMS based
gradient descent rule. The weight update equation is given by:
 wn+1 = wn − μ∇ε [n] = − μεi (2)
Here, wn represents the filter weights at nth instant, μ the
step size and ε[n] the error vector at the nth instant. The step
size determines the rate of convergence in the algorithm. It
also determines the stability of the algorithm. Since the exact
computation of the gradient of the error is not possible, any
one of the element of the error vector εi is used as a crude
approximation.
IV. NOISE CANCELLATION USING ADALINE
NEURAL NET BASED ADAPTIVE FILTER
Figure 8. Error Signal with learning rate = 0.5
As the graphs suggest, the best convergence is observed
To simulate the performance of an ADALINE neural with a learning rate of 0.1. A higher learning rate of 0.5
network based adaptive filter, SIMULINK was used to overshoots the error signal to a more than satisfactory value
simulate on a data set comprising of a song sampled at 8000 while the lower learning rate of 0.01 is too slow to converge.
Hz, stereo audio mixed with Gaussian noise to give the noised
signal for cancellation with two tapped delays. I. Final Result
H. Stability Analysis After setting on the learning rate, the following results
were observed:

The selection of learning rate is crucial for noise

control. A small value of learning rate will result in slow
convergence of the output to the desired signal, while a
larger value of learning rate will result in overshoot of the
error from the minimum point. The following graphs were
observed for different learning rate to determine the ideal
learning rate:

Figure 9. System Output vs Desired Signal

In the figure 9, the orange signal denotes the output signal

while the blue signal denotes the desired signal. As the time
passes, the output signal slowly converges to desired signal.
Accordingly, the error converges to a minimum.

Figure 6. Error Signal with learning rate = 0.01

Figure 10. Error Rate for the signals shown in Fig. 9

Figure 7. Error Signal with learning rate = 0.1

Table 1. Results
Correlation of Desired
Correlation Coefficient
Signal WRT
 Noised Signal 0.9828 [2] National Instruments, "Least Means Squares (LMS) Adaptive Filter -
National Instruments," National Instruments, 23 August 2013. [Online].
Output Signal 0.9956 Available: http://www.ni.com/example/31220/en/.
[3] S. Raschka, "Machine Learning FAQ," [Online]. Available:
The correlation with respect to desired signal of the filtered https://sebastianraschka.com/faq/docs/diff-perceptron-adaline-neuralnet.
signal is closer to 1 than the noised signal thereby showing html.
promising results. [4] B. Widrow, "c1992artificialneural.pdf," 1992. [Online]. Available:
http://www-isl.stanford.edu/~widrow/papers/c1992artificialneural.pdf.
V. PHYSICAL IMPLEMENTATION AND FUTURE [5] Mathworks Inc., "Adaptive Neural Network Filters," Mathworks Inc.,
WORKS [Online]. Available:
https://in.mathworks.com/help/nnet/ug/adaptive-neural-network-filters.ht
Future work involves implementation of the filter design ml. [Accessed 13 March 2017].
on a digital signal processor.

REFERENCES
[1] C. H. (. U. A. N. C. N. Y. N. U. T. &. F. Hansen, "Understanding Active
Noise Cancellation," New York, NY, USA, Taylor & Francis, 2001.