Speaker recognition using neural networks and conventional classifiers

An evaluation of various classifiers for text-independent speaker recognition is presented. In addition, a new classifier is examined for this application. The new classifier is called the modified neural tree network (MNTN). The MNTN is a hierarchical classifier that combines the properties of decision trees and feedforward neural networks. The MNTN differs from the standard NTN in both the new learning rule used and the pruning criteria. The MNTN is evaluated for several speaker recognition experiments. These include closed- and open-set speaker identification and speaker verification. The database used is a subset of the TIMIT database consisting of 38 speakers from the same dialect region. The MNTN is compared with nearest neighbor classifiers, full-search, and tree-structured vector quantization (VQ) classifiers, multilayer perceptrons (MLPs), and decision trees. For closed-set speaker identification experiments, the full-search VQ classifier and MNTN demonstrate comparable performance. Both methods perform significantly better than the other classifiers for this task. The MNTN and full-search VQ classifiers are also compared for several speaker verification and open-set speaker-identification experiments. The MNTN is found to perform better than full-search VQ classifiers for both of these applications. In addition to matching or exceeding the performance of the VQ classifier for these applications, the MNTN also provides a logarithmic saving for retrieval.