|
Assistive
Technology Quick Reference Guide |
Voice Input Computer Systems
Computer
Access Series |
Voice
input computer systems (or speech recognition systems) learn how a particular
user pronounces words and uses information about these speech patterns to guess
what words are being spoken. Voice input
systems are useful for the following problems:
·
Trouble physically using the keyboard - Voice input systems can
allow a person to operate a computer without using a keyboard or mouse. This can help people who are not able to use
their hands at all, as well as others who can use their hands but are limited
by speed, fatigue, or pain (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, one-handed
keyboarders).
·
Trouble creating text - Voice input systems can help a person, who has
difficulty spelling words, create text. This can be particularly useful for
some people with learning disabilities. However, the person's reading abilities
need to be strong enough to recognize when the computer displays the wrong
word.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS:
How much does it cost?
Most
full systems cost about $200. For exact
prices, check the manufacture web sites listed below. There are also several systems for less than
$100, but these cheaper versions may not include all of the dictation features
such as hands-free access or a text read-back feature. Check to make sure that the features that you
want to use are supported.
How fast can a person dictate?
It
depends on the user and on the task being performed. Some users are now reporting speeds that are
close to 100 wpm, however, some manufacturers do not consider correction time
in their calculations (most people report 90-98% accuracy). Rate also varies with the task being
performed. Timings taken while reading a page of text are also typically faster
than the speeds achieved when new text is being "thought up". In
addition, voice "macros" which enter a whole phrase or paragraph will
produce high entry rates, while tasks requiring the spelling of names and
addresses will result in lower entry rates.
Is a mouse required?
Voice
input systems usually allow a person to activate program menus via voice
commands. The Dragon products (i.e.,
Naturally Speaking) are the most "hands-free" systems currently on
the market, particularly with a feature called "MouseGrid" that
permits fine control of the mouse cursor.
The other systems currently require some limited use of a mouse (or
alternative).
Does a person have to sit in front of the computer in order to use it?
The
user needs to be able to see the monitor to find out whether words and commands
are being correctly recognized.
Otherwise, it is possible to use voice input while sitting, standing, or
reclining. Although headset microphones
are typically shipped with these products, it is also possible to use desktop
microphones or other setups that don't require daily assistance with setup.
Are dictation systems difficult to learn?
Not
really, but it takes a week or two of frequent use for the computer to adjust
to your voice and for you to adjust to the commands. This can be an overwhelming task for a person
who is also trying to learn the basics of computer operation. Our staff has always seen better results when
the user already has some knowledge of computer basics.
Can a computer lab use it with several students?
Some
software products are designed for a single user--be careful which version you
are buying if this is an issue. These
systems can be set up for multiple users, but be aware that each set of user
files takes up several Mb of storage space.
To avoid filling up the hard drive, it may be necessary to limit the
number of users, and to erase files for students who have graduated.
If users have the software at home, can they copy their voice files to a work computer?
Yes,
but it will probably take a box of diskettes, and some individual files will
need to be split across more than one diskette.
A program such as PKZip/Unzip will be needed.
What are the reading requirements?
Voice
input systems do not have 100% recognition.
They rely on the user being able to recognize when a word is incorrectly
"guessed" and make corrections.
Often, if an error is not corrected, the computer will continue to
substitute the wrong word and overall accuracy will get worse. Users who frequently miss errors, or forget
to correct them, should look to see if the program has an "adapt only on
correction" option so that it does not learn from those mistakes. In
general, a fourth grade reading level seems to be required. If the user is a secondary student, see the
"Speaking to Write" site (below) for additional help.
Can a voice input system be used by people with visual impairments?
It
is a common assumption that people with visual impairments would benefit from
voice input because they do not need to look at the keyboard. This is incorrect. Due to the need to make corrections, people
who are not able to see the monitor well enough to fix the computer's errors
may have trouble using this type of technology. Voice output technology can be
combined with voice input technology to "echo" each word that is
spoken (see "JawBone" below), but this can be technically challenging
and mentally fatiguing. We generally recommend that voice input be used by
people with visual impairments only when the person also has a
physical disability that makes standard entry methods (such as touch typing)
impossible.
Can a voice input system provide a transcript of a class for a person with a learning disability? Can a voice input system "caption" things for a person who is deaf?
People
are experimenting with both ideas. Voice input systems are speaker-dependent
(require the speaker to go through the training period on the computer), are
usually only 95-98% accurate, and require slightly slower speech, therefore, it
is not currently advisable to simply point a microphone at a random speaker to
try to produce a transcript or carry on a conversation. In addition, since punctuation must be
dictated, if attempted, the resulting transcript ends up as one long run-on
sentence! One product, however, is
dealing with these issues. Interactive
Solution's iCommunicator starts a new line every time that a speaker (who has
trained the system) pauses, to produce an understandable transcript. Although multiple individuals can train the system,
only one speaker can be recognized at a time. This product can also convert
speech to video sign language (ASL signs in English word order).
Can a voice input system be used by people with speech impediments?
Since
voice input systems learn how individuals pronounce various words, it is
possible for a person with a speech impediment (or regional accent) to use this
technology. The key is the consistency of how the words are pronounced. From
our experience, the discrete speech system Dragon Dictate seems to be the
easiest to force into accepting non-standard pronunciation. Even with Dragon
Dictate, the training period will take longer and the low initial accuracy
rates may be frustrating.
Can use of a voice input system cause laryngitis?
There
have been reports of some voice input users developing voice problems,
primarily with the older, discrete speech systems when people had to pause
between each word. Interestingly, these
cases have usually been people who were using voice input technology because
they had a repetitive strain injury such as carpal tunnel. The
"rules" for using voice input technology safely appear to be
following:
1)
Speak softly; don't yell at the microphone. Relax!
2)
Sit up; do not lean forward, since that can decrease your lung capacity.
3)
Take frequent, short breaks.
4)
Drink liquids (one singer has suggested avoiding caffeine); don't wait for you
throat to get dry.
OTHER INFORMATION
RESOURCES:
Computing Out-Loud (Susan Fulton) -
http://www.out-loud.com
Useful site from a long-time voice input user.
Provides tips for optimum use of voice input software, not necessarily related
to specific products.
NaturallySpeaking Unofficial
Information Pages (Joel Gould) - http://www.synapseadaptive.com/joel/
From a former employee of Dragon Systems, some of
this site's information has not been updated recently, but it still includes
useful information such as how to move voice files, discussion of product
versions, advanced tips for writing macros, etc.
Ruth Rose's Voice Recognition
Support (Dragon Products) -
How to Talk to a Dragon (Training Tips) -
http://brightok.net/~edrose/page9.html
Diagnosing Dragon Problems -
http://brightok.net/~edrose/page10.html
Speaking to Write -
http://www.edc.org/spk2wrt/
Explores the use of voice input software by
secondary students (middle and high school) who experience significant
difficulty with writing due to physical and/or learning disabilities. Project
conducted by the Education Development Center (EDC) and
Typing Injury FAQ: Speech
Recognition FAQ - http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~dwallach/tifaq/speech.html
More information about voice input products and
resources by K.S. Wright and D.S. Wallach.
Voice Input Discussion Groups
Good sources for technical support.
VoiceGroup (1000+ members) -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VoiceGroup
Voice Users
Recognition Group (VRUG) - http://voicerecognition.com/voice-users/
VoiceCoder (for programming by voice) - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VoiceCoder
Dragon Systems
Discussion Forum -http://www.dragonsys.com/support/webforum.html
Macintosh
Speech Recognition - http://lists.themacintoshguy.com/Lists/MacVoice/List.html
ViaVoice
Discussion Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/viavoice
PRODUCT RESOURCES:
|
Company and Address |
Phone |
Web Site |
Products |
|
IBM
Voice Systems |
Phone:
888-746-7426 |
www-4.ibm.com/software/ speech/ |
IBM
ViaVoice for Windows, Macintosh, or Linux. |
|
Interactive
Solutions |
Phone:
888-463-0474 941-753-5000 TTY:
800-362-4584 |
www.teachthedeaf.com |
iCommunicator
system that uses Naturally Speaking to convert speech to text, video sign
language, and computer-generated voice. |
|
ScanSoft
/ Dragon Systems 52
|
Phone:
800-654-1187 |
www.ScanSoft.com www.lhsl.com/ naturallyspeaking/ www.dragonsys.com |
Dragon
Naturally Speaking, Voice Xpress. Medical and legal dictation. Dragon Dictate for discrete speech sold but
not supported. |
|
MacSpeech |
Phone:
603-644-7253 |
www.macspeech.com |
iListen
voice input for Macintosh. ListenDo! product for commands only (free). |
|
Metroplex
Voice Technologies |
Fax:
817-543-1103 |
www.metroplexvoice.com Email:
info@mathtalk.com |
Systems
for math dictation (MathTalk). VoiceEZcad for access to AutoCAD. Uses Naturally Speaking or Dragon Dictate. |
|
Next
Generation Technologies, Inc. |
Phone:
425-744-1100 |
www.ngtvoice.com |
JawBone
interface that combines Dragon Naturally Speaking with JAWs screen reader.
Codevox voice interface for Visual Basic programmers. |
|
VoiceCommands.net / Voice Technology Services |
Phone:
916-364-8488 Fax:
916-364-8486 |
www.voicecommands.net |
Voice
command learning guides for L&H Dragon Naturally Speaking and IBM
ViaVoice. |
Contact
the following resources for further information:
http://www.techconnections.org or 800-TEK-SEEK
http://www.assistivetech.net or 800-726-9119