I thought I would just give you an overview of how voice identification works and how safe it is to use. This is because it is starting to be adopted by more banks as well as HMRC, so I expect it to form an equally important role in the near future to other biometrics such as fingerprint and iris scanning.
How does it work?
Over the telephone, the voice identification system monitors more than 100 unique identifiers in a person’s voice. These include the cadence, accent and pronunciation, as well as sounds that indicate the shape and size of the larynx, nasal passages and vocal tract.
Is it going to make your life easier?
It is hoped that voice recognition will remove the need to remember passwords, codes and some of the other identification information currently required for telephone banking.
How does voice recognition work?
The technology provided by voice recognition firm Nuance builds a so-called “voice ID” from a quick training session, which records and analyses the way people say words, the sounds of their mouth, tongue, voice box and breathing. When the person then tries to log in they are asked to say a few words which are compared to the voice ID.
Can it be fooled by a mimic?
The way a voice sounds to the human ear is very different to the way it sounds to a computer. It may be possible to sound like another person, but it will be almost impossible to recreate all of the 100 or so physical and behavioural aspects of someone’s speech and voice ID.
What if I’ve got a cold and my voice sounds different?
The Voice ID system is robust enough to identify an individual even if they have a cold because it analyses so many markers in a person’s voice. Your accent, cadence, pronunciation and physical attributes do not change even if you’re a bit stuffed up.
I hope this is of interest to you all, many thanks
Nigel
Mr Nigel Sutton
Fraud and Cyber Security Advisor | Specialist Crime Team
Cambridgeshire Constabulary
Hinchingbrooke Park,
Huntingdon, PE29 6NP
