Fundamentals of Speech Recognition is a comprehensive book for computer scientists working with speech recognition technology. The book explains how machines interpret speech and how they can be coded and programmed to improve their recognition algorithms. The book also explores how Automatic Speech Recognition uses models of speech production, speech characterization, methods of analysis, to form a basis for pattern comparison, hidden Markov models and speech recognition systems. The book discusses everything from isolated word recognition to large vocabulary continuous speech recognition systems, giving students a complete overview of the subject. In addition, the book discusses practical implementation of the topics, giving students valuable inputs on the practical barriers to speech recognition. The book is a seminal text on the topic and an essential resource for students and programmers trying to implement a flexible speech recognition system into their programs.