Genetic time warping for isolated word recognition

In this paper, a Genetic Time Warping (GTW) algorithm for isolated word recognition was proposed. Relative representation techniques, fitness techniques and reproduction techniques were described and genetic operators were also discussed in detail. Different from the conventional genetic algorithms with fixed genes, every chromosome has its own number of genes. A modified order-based crossover operator was introduced in order to deal with the chromosomes with a different number of genes. Besides the mutation and crossover operators, a new heuristic local optimum operator was also built and it could alter part of a chromosome based on a function of local distance and average distortion of the paths. Finally, experimental investigations were carried out to test the performance of GTW. Based on Rabiner's normal assumptions²³ on the distributions of the distances, the overall probability of making a word error could be calculated experimentally. Results demonstrated that GTW performed better or much better than the DTW method for most of the tested words.