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FAQ
Here are questions we get asked many times. They are listed in
order of decreasing number of times asked. Click on each for the
response.
Do I have to talk slowly to a computer?
Many people try to talk slowly or otherwise talk
specially in order to get better accuracy. Generally this doesn't
help. The more naturally you talk, as if you're talking or reading
to a friend, the more likely will your accuracy be high. Often,
it is better to speed up than slow down.
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Our firm uses a lot of specialized words
of the trade. Will these products recognize those words?
Many of the trade words will be recognized. For words
that are not recognized, most products have some mechanism for scanning
written material for the remaining new words which are then added
as a group into the program's vocabulary by a strictly software
based operation. After scanning is complete, the words will be recognized.
Words with unusual pronunciations may need individual training or
tweaking. Vendors often have prepared specific trade vocabulary
add-ons as well.
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Can I use speech recognition in an office
with open cubicles?
There are three questions here: 1) is the cubicle environment
too noisy for speech products? 2) will people in other cubes be
bothered by my incessant yammering? 3) how do I preserve confidentiality
when dictating sensitive memos if I'm speaking out loud to a computer?
The answers are:
1) Maybe. You have to try it out.
2) Maybe. You have to try it out. We have had some success by
doing initial training of the dictation products using desktop
microphones at very close distances and speaking the training
text in a near whisper voice tone. Accuracy is reasonable and
people in other cubes are generally unaware of the dictation (they
tune out your telephone calls, don't they?). Since vendors get
points in the magazine reviews for accuracy, no product vendor
will officially recommend this strategy, however.
3) You can't. Sorry.
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Which dictation product is the best?
It depends. Best for what? Each dictation product has its best
points - and, by the way, that best point is always is not always
recognition "accuracy. "
Although remarkable, currently all dictation products make some
mistakes of recognition, and on the whole, aren't too far from
one another in terms of absolute accuracy. So a more important
consideration is how easy is it to make corrections of recognition
errors. Ease of usage in other applications besides word-processing
is also important. If you are programmer writing software that
uses speech recognition engines, these same points apply. Telephony
software developed in house, as distinct from dictation products,
can pretty nearly be made as accurate as needed.
In the reviews we talk about
each of the best points of the products. If there is a general
all around star, we'll say so.
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Can I run dictation products on a laptop
computer?
That depends on the horsepower of the laptop and the quality
of its microphone sound system. We currently recommend a minimum
of 500 MHz processor and 256 megs of RAM. More speed and RAM is
better still, especially if you run several programs concurrently
with the speech program. We certainly have run dictation software
on less powerful laptops as an experiment, but the slowness of
response can make the experience unsatisfactory.
The cramped quarters of the physical layout of the laptop can
sometimes induce electrical interference into the microphone sound
system which will degrade dictation performance. Check with the
software vendor for compatibility with the laptop you have in
mind. Try before you buy, to be sure.
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Do I have to wear a silly microphone on
my head?
It depends. In a very noisy environment you probably will have
no other choice. In quieter environments, a desktop microphone
such as those from Andrea or Telex or a lapel microphone could
work effectively. Different products seem to have different levels
of sensitivity to this issue and the vendors generally never recommend
anything other than the head mikes. But we've had other results
and your mileage may vary. See the reviews
and research.
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Will voice products help with carpal tunnel
syndrome?
Potentially they could be a great help in taking the work
load off your fingers. But much more depends on the kind of computer
work you do. For example, people who do writing would be helped
a great deal; people who do data entry - names, addresses, figures
- might find the benefit smaller because of recognition issues might
require more manual correction.
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Some people say you get hoarse if you
dictate for long periods - is that true?
Hoarseness is an indication that you are trying too hard; that
you are trying to improve accuracy by talking in a certain way,
a way you think might make the computer understand you better.
When you're talking to a friend you don't get hoarse, so talk
like that to your computer. Take breaks. Sip hot water or your
favorite herb tea during your long dictation sessions.
It is also possible that you are moving your head slightly forward
in order to speak to the computer. That movement will constrict
the vocal cords thus causing strain. There are professionals whose
business it is to detect these kinds of subtle movements and strain.
Spending an hour or two with one of them, called teachers of the
Alexander Technique, would be worth your while if this problem
persists. Two people on our staff are such teachers and we would
be delighted to make referral of a teacher in your area. Contact
us indicating the city in which you would wish to have such
assistance.
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Will voice interfaces eliminate the need
for all hand movement?
No. Hardware will still need to be plugged in, turned
on, and occasionally whacked with your fist. But smoother interaction
is definitely here and it's a blessing for the computer challenged
and expert alike.
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Why does this web site have almost no graphics?
We have optimized this site for speed of information retrieval
rather than entertainment and flash. Business people don't always
have the time for graphics which slow down Web page delivery.
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Is your question about voice and
speech technology not answered here?
Send those questions by e-mail.
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