Overview

Run in collaboration with Oxford Wave Research, This day-and-a-half-long workshop will focus on understanding the basics of automatic speaker recognition and how you can use a system for research purposes. The course is intended for research students working in any area who are interested in (i) learning more about how automatic speaker recognition systems work, (ii) understanding how systems can be used in forensic casework, and (iii) expanding their methodological toolkit to use automatic speaker recognition systems in research. 

The course will mix theory with hands-on practical sessions, where you will get to use the VOCALISE automatic speaker recognition system. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your research plans with members of the York Forensic Speech Science team and representatives from Oxford Wave Research.

Note: This course is only open to research students - i.e. those doing either Masters or PhD - who would like to know more about automatic speaker recognition systems and how to utilise them in research. 

More details about the course can be found on the University of York CPD page, and interested participants are invited to complete a google form before signing up for the course. 

Overview

The course is intended for those who want to learn more about how speech and audio are analysed for evidential purposes and this area of forensic science. A range of topics will be covered and sessions will include a mix of practical tasks and theoretical content. 

The first day will provide an overview of different types of speech and audio evidence and what is and isn’t possible. We will discuss important practical considerations when collecting material for evidential purposes. Throughout both days, attendees will develop an understanding about the range of methods applied in forensic speaker comparison - the most common type of voice evidence - including the combined auditory-acoustic method, and automatic speaker recognition. Sessions will cover how experts arrive at conclusions and the place of speech and audio evidence in the court. Consideration will be made of the role of regulation and accreditation in forensic speech science and the implications of this.  

Note: This course is not intended to provide attendees with the skills and knowledge to carry out forensic speech and audio analysis. It is intended to raise awareness and give an understanding of how speech and audio can be used as evidence.

More details about the course can be found on the University of York CPD page.