Multi-stage speaker adaptation

A method comprising:

• obtaining, at a computing device, a first set of feature vectors, wherein the first set of feature vectors correspond to a first unit of input speech;
• comparing characteristics of the first set of feature vectors to a first gender-specific speech model and a second gender-specific speech model;
• determining that the characteristics of the first set of feature vectors fit the first gender-specific speech model better than the second gender-specific model;
• obtaining a second set of feature vectors, wherein the second set of feature vectors correspond to a second unit of input speech;
• modifying the second set of feature vectors based on a first gender-specific speaker adaptation technique associated with the first gender-specific speech model;
• after modifying the second set of feature vectors, comparing characteristics of the second set of feature vectors to the first gender-specific speech model, the second gender-specific speech model, and a speaker-dependent speech model;
• determining that the characteristics of the second set of feature vectors fit the speaker-dependent speech model better than the first and second gender-specific models;
• obtaining a third set of feature vectors, wherein the third set of feature vectors correspond to a third unit of input speech;
• and
• modifying the third set of feature vectors based on a speaker-dependent speaker adaptation technique associated with the speaker-dependent speech model.

An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

• selecting a first gender-specific speaker adaptation technique based on characteristics of a first set of feature vectors, wherein the first set of feature vectors correspond to a first unit of input speech, and wherein the first set of feature vectors are configured for use in automatic speech recognition (ASR) of the first unit of input speech, wherein the first gender-specific speaker adaptation technique is associated with a particular gender;
• modifying a second set of feature vectors based on the first gender-specific speaker adaptation technique, wherein the second set of feature vectors correspond to a second unit of input speech, and wherein the modified second set of feature vectors are configured for use in ASR of the second unit of input speech;
• based on characteristics of the second set of feature vectors and the first gender-specific speaker adaptation technique being associated with a particular gender, selecting a first speaker-dependent speaker adaptation technique that is associated with a particular speaker of the particular gender;
• and
• modifying a third set of feature vectors based on the first speaker-dependent speaker adaptation technique, wherein the third set of feature vectors correspond to a third unit of input speech, and wherein the modified third set of feature vectors are configured for use in ASR of the third unit of input speech.