Current methods in forensic speaker identification: Results of a collaborative exercise

Abstract

The field of forensic speaker identification is complicated by the use of a wide array of methods that are employed and it suffers from a lack of evaluation and validation of these different methods. This paper reports on the first internationally oriented collaborative exercise in this field. The main goal of this project was to document the different methods, analyses and reporting strategies that are currently being employed, and to have as many experts as possible participate (representative of the field). Speech material was especially recorded for this purpose and a fake case was constructed. Results from twelve reports are presented anonymously. Furthermore, a detailed account of the most frequently encountered acoustic measurements is given, and a summary of the type and scale of conclusions is provided. These summaries exemplify the huge diversity that seems to govern the field of forensic speaker identification, not only in a global sense but also when reports are viewed in detail.