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© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

(1) Background: The application of machine learning techniques in the speech recognition literature has become a large field of study. Here, we aim to (1) expand the available evidence for the use of machine learning techniques for voice classification and (2) discuss the implications of such approaches towards the development of novel hearing aid features (i.e., voice familiarity detection). To do this, we built and tested a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) Model for the identification and classification of a series of voices, namely the 10 cast members of the popular television show “Modern Family”. (2) Methods: Representative voice samples were selected from Season 1 of Modern Family (N = 300; 30 samples for each of the classes of the classification in this model, namely Phil, Claire, Hailey, Alex, Luke, Gloria, Jay, Manny, Mitch, Cameron). The audio samples were then cleaned and normalized. Feature extraction was then implemented and used as the input to train a basic CNN model and an advanced CNN model. (3) Results: Accuracy of voice classification for the basic model was 89%. Accuracy of the voice classification for the advanced model was 99%. (4) Conclusions: Greater familiarity with a voice is known to be beneficial for speech recognition. If a hearing aid can eventually be programmed to recognize voices that are familiar or not, perhaps it can also apply familiar voice features to improve hearing performance. Here we discuss how such machine learning, when applied to voice recognition, is a potential technological solution in the coming years.

Details

Title
On a Vector towards a Novel Hearing Aid Feature: What Can We Learn from Modern Family, Voice Classification and Deep Learning Algorithms
Author
Hodgetts, William 1 ; Song, Qi 2 ; Xinyue Xiang 2 ; Cummine, Jacqueline 3 

 Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6A2G4, Canada; [email protected]; Institute for Reconstructive Sciences in Medicine, Covenant Health, Edmonton, AB T5R4H5, Canada; Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6A2G4, Canada 
 Department of Computing Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6A2G4, Canada; [email protected] (Q.S.); [email protected] (X.X.) 
 Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6A2G4, Canada; [email protected]; Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6A2G4, Canada 
First page
5659
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20763417
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2544957418
Copyright
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.