A method for operating a speech recognition system, wherein the system comprises: a sensor deployed in a region, a plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays deployed in the region separate from the sensor, wherein each of the plurality of multi-directional arrays comprises a respective plurality of voice pickup areas, a control panel in communication with the sensor and the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays, the method comprising: the sensor detecting a relative location of a user within the region; responsive to the sensor detecting the relative location of the user, the control panel identifying one of the multi-directional microphone arrays for which one of the respective plurality of voice pickup areas is closest to the relative location of the user; responsive to the control panel identifying the said one of the multi-directional microphone arrays, the control panel transmitting the relative location of the user to the said one of the plurality of multidirectional microphone arrays; activating a direction setting of the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays based on the relative location of the user, the direction setting of the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays enhancing speech recognition by the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays from the relative location of the user within the said one of the respective plurality of voice pickup areas; and while the direction setting of the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays is activated, the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays detecting a wakeup command from the relative location of the user within the said one of the respective plurality of voice pickup areas and, responsive thereto, entering an active listening mode to identify additional commands from the relative location of the user. a sensor deployed in a region, a plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays deployed in the region separate from the sensor, wherein each of the plurality of multi-directional arrays comprises a respective plurality of voice pickup areas, a control panel in communication with the sensor and the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays, the method comprising: the sensor detecting a relative location of a user within the region; responsive to the sensor detecting the relative location of the user, the control panel identifying one of the multi-directional microphone arrays for which one of the respective plurality of voice pickup areas is closest to the relative location of the user; responsive to the control panel identifying the said one of the multi-directional microphone arrays, the control panel transmitting the relative location of the user to the said one of the plurality of multidirectional microphone arrays; activating a direction setting of the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays based on the relative location of the user, the direction setting of the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays enhancing speech recognition by the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays from the relative location of the user within the said one of the respective plurality of voice pickup areas; and while the direction setting of the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays is activated, the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays detecting a wakeup command from the relative location of the user within the said one of the respective plurality of voice pickup areas and, responsive thereto, entering an active listening mode to identify additional commands from the relative location of the user. the sensor detecting a relative location of a user within the region; responsive to the sensor detecting the relative location of the user, the control panel identifying one of the multi-directional microphone arrays for which one of the respective plurality of voice pickup areas is closest to the relative location of the user; responsive to the control panel identifying the said one of the multi-directional microphone arrays, the control panel transmitting the relative location of the user to the said one of the plurality of multidirectional microphone arrays; activating a direction setting of the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays based on the relative location of the user, the direction setting of the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays enhancing speech recognition by the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays from the relative location of the user within the said one of the respective plurality of voice pickup areas; and while the direction setting of the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays is activated, the said one of the plurality of multi-directional microphone arrays detecting a wakeup command from the relative location of the user within the said one of the respective plurality of voice pickup areas and, responsive thereto, entering an active listening mode to identify additional commands from the relative location of the user.