Child's Age Range Prediction Using Sinhala Speech Recognition System

Abstract

This study predicts the age range of a child speaking Sinhala by analyzing voice characteristics and acoustic features. Identifying speech impairments in children aged 6 to 72 months is critical for early intervention, mainly when using a system that recognizes their native language. The developed system generates accurate insights to assist speech pathologists in diagnosing speech disorders. A Multilayer Perceptron neural network is proposed for age group prediction, leveraging Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) and pitch features to enhance recognition accuracy. The system demonstrated an overall accuracy rate of 77% in age range identification, providing a valuable tool for healthcare professionals to evaluate and monitor speech development in Sinhala-speaking children