Combining time-delayed decorrelation and ICA: towards solving the cocktail party problem

We present methods to separate blindly mixed signals recorded in a room. The learning algorithm is based on the information maximization in a single layer neural network. We focus on the implementation of the learning algorithm and on issues that arise when separating speakers in room recordings. We used an infomax approach in a feedforward neural network implemented in the frequency domain using the polynomial filter matrix algebra technique. A fast convergence speed was achieved by using a time-delayed decorrelation method as a preprocessing step. Under minimum-phase mixing conditions this preprocessing step was sufficient for the separation of signals. These methods successfully separated a recorded voice with music in the background (cocktail party problem). Finally, we discuss problems that arise in real world recordings and their potential solutions.