# Efficient Continual Learning in Keyword Spotting using Binary Neural Networks

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.02469 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.02469/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 15 of its 28 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 5 May 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 15 of 15)

- [Overcoming catastrophic forgetting in neural networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1612.00796/) (2016)
- [iCaRL: Incremental Classifier and Representation Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1611.07725/) (2016)
- [Deep Compression: Compressing Deep Neural Networks with Pruning, Trained Quantization and Huffman Coding](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1510.00149/) (2015)
- [Gradient Episodic Memory for Continual Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1706.08840/) (2017)
- [A Comprehensive Survey of Continual Learning: Theory, Method and Application](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.00487/) (2023)
- [XNOR-Net: ImageNet Classification Using Binary Convolutional Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1603.05279/) (2016)
- [Speech Commands: A Dataset for Limited-Vocabulary Speech Recognition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1804.03209/) (2018)
- [CNN Architectures for Large-Scale Audio Classification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1609.09430/) (2016)
- [Hello Edge: Keyword Spotting on Microcontrollers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1711.07128/) (2017)
- [Extremely Low Bit Neural Network: Squeeze the Last Bit Out with ADMM](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1707.09870/) (2017)
- [Online Continual Learning in Keyword Spotting for Low-Resource Devices via Pooling High-Order Temporal Statistics](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.12660/) (2023)
- [Progressive Continual Learning for Spoken Keyword Spotting](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2201.12546/) (2022)
- [Sub-mW Keyword Spotting on an MCU: Analog Binary Feature Extraction and Binary Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2201.03386/) (2022)
- [Incremental Online Learning Algorithms Comparison for Gesture and Visual Smart Sensors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2209.00591/) (2022)
- [LiCo-Net: Linearized Convolution Network for Hardware-efficient Keyword Spotting](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.04635/) (2022)

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Domain-Incremental Continual Learning for Robust and Efficient Keyword Spotting in Resource Constrained Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.16158/) (2026)
- [Scaling few-shot spoken word classification with generative meta-continual learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.13075/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Keyword spotting (KWS) is an essential function that enables interaction with ubiquitous smart devices. However, in resource-limited devices, KWS models are often static and can thus not adapt to new scenarios, such as added keywords. To overcome this problem, we propose a Continual Learning (CL) approach for KWS built on Binary Neural Networks (BNNs). The framework leverages the reduced computation and memory requirements of BNNs while incorporating techniques that enable the seamless integration of new keywords over time. This study evaluates seven CL techniques on a 16-class use case, reporting an accuracy exceeding 95% for a single additional keyword and up to 86% for four additional classes. Sensitivity to the amount of training samples in the CL phase, and differences in computational complexities are being evaluated. These evaluations demonstrate that batch-based algorithms are more sensitive to the CL dataset size, and that differences between the computational complexities are insignificant. These findings highlight the potential of developing an effective and computationally efficient technique for continuously integrating new keywords in KWS applications that is compatible with resource-constrained devices.