A STUDY OF SIGNIFICANT PARAMETERS OF SPEECH FOR APPLICATION IN AUTOMATIC SPEECH RECOGNITION SYSTEMS.

The report describes work performed on a continuing study 1f the significant parameters of speech for application in the development of an automatic speech recognition system. Under the present contract the major emphasis was placed on obtaining data for evaluation of critical instants of speech. Critical instants are defined as instants during normal speech when the variation in the values of key speech-parameters is a minimum. Because of the reduced data spread at such instants they will prove to be valuable points at which to sample parameters for use in speech recognition patterns, and will result in higher pattern efficiencies. Procedures are described for the location of critical instants and for evaluation of their significance for use in recognition patterns. To facilitate these evaluations, modifications were made in a previously developed computer program for extraction of speech parameters, and a new subroutine was added to permit automatic detection of critical instants in a large volume of speech data, and sampling of appropriate parameters at those instants. Author