Speech recognition is a great alternative if you do not have the ability to type on your keyboard. You just need to talk directly to the computer and voila, the words you say show up on your screen. Using a speech recognition software is a great innovation created to help people, especially those with disabilities, to “write” on a computer faster using their voice. This article talks about what speech recognition is and what to consider when you are buying the software.
Definition of speech recognition software
Speech recognition has the ability to hear the human voice, interpret its diction and type whatever the words are. It can also understand your voice and perform certain commands. So, what is a speech recognition software? It is a hardware device or a software program that has the capacity of decoding the human voice. A lot of updates have been done with speech recognition software (SRS) and now has an intelligent “learning” process called adaptive learning.
Adaptive learning is the ability to “train” the program to be familiar with your voice when you use it more and to accurately translate your speech to text. A good example is when you command “Open Internet” and the software will prompt your computer to open an internet browser. Speech recognition software helps you type faster. This is the preferred option for people who would like to write without using any keyboards, mouse or even buttons.
Just a quick note, speech recognition, and voice recognition may be used interchangeably but they are two different terms. Voice recognition is used to recognize speaker voices while speech recognition can recognize words or phrases in a particular spoken language.
Where do you use speech recognition software?
There are many instances when you can use SRS. You can use speech recognition software for transcription, military purposes, healthcare industries, telecommunications and a lot more. Further applications include:
- Video games
- Helicopters
- In-car systems
- Training ATC or air traffic controllers
- Language learning
- Learning disability
- Aerospace
- Home automation
- Robotics
- Telematics such as navigation systems
How can SRS recognize your voice?
Speech recognition software has combined technical aspects mostly in the areas of computer science. It mixes mathematics, linguistics and computing programs to make it work. It also uses algorithms with language and acoustic modeling. It may have Markov models that can identify temporal patterns of human speech for more accuracy. Below are four different methods where SRS works:
- Simple pattern recognition match. This is the simplest tasks SRS can do. It can recognize the voice and types it into text.
- Feature and pattern analysis. It can analyze each word and identify unique speech patterns.
- Statistical analysis and language modeling. It knows certain words and can identify grammar and sentences that can form commands. This is used to improve accuracy and recognize words faster.
- Artificial brain network. It uses adaptive learning where the more words and sentences you provide, the more patterns and commands it recognizes.
Speech recognition can be in the form of call centers, software for computer dictation or can even located on smartphones (one good example is Cortana and Siri).
What are the requirements of speech recognition software?
Speech recognition software requirement basics should have a device that has a sound card. It is essential to have a headset or a microphone for the device to hear you. The device needs to be updated to the latest software or must meet certain hardware requirements depending on the software.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of speech recognition software?
Is it worth getting a speech recognition software? It would really depend on the needs you have and the features SRS has. Just make sure that the SRS you will use delivers a wonderful customer experience and has the features you need. Read more to find out the disadvantages and advantages of SRS.
The advantages of speech recognition software are the following:
- Productivity and efficiency. If you have a hard time typing or if you are a slow typist, your workload could be done faster and easier. Processing time for documents is shorter and can work three times as fast.
- Saves time. One good example is it saves time when spelling words. You are confident that the words typed have the correct spelling (and sometimes even grammar). There is no need to do a spell-check as it automatically provides the correct spelling all the time.
- Saves money. You no longer have to pay for extra costs such as paying support staff and the need to outsource is lessened. It saves you a lot in labor costs as you do not have to hire employees for tasks which the software can do.
- Can do repetitive tasks such as scrolling, opening programs and browsing.
- Beneficial to people with disabilities such as persons with cognitive disability or those who cannot use their hands.
- There is a better chance of improving your day to day use as it learns while you use it every day.
- It leads to a more enhanced and organized workflow. It frees up your cognitive working space. Not only that, it is easy, quick and fun to use.
Now that we know what the advantages are of getting an SRS, what are the cons of speech recognition software? These are:
- Speech and accent recognition. If you are a stuttering or if you mumble a lot, chances are, the software will provide a lot of mishears. It might not be able to type the words correctly if you have a throat problem or a cold.
- Time delays. Its ability to learn is a great feature but when starting, it may take some time for it to understand you and may hinder your productivity.
- Unable to understand if there is a background noise. If there is interference in the background, the software might not be able to hear what you say.
- Using a speech recognition software requires a lot of memory to store the voice files. This means you need to have a backup of it constantly.
- Side effects. The more you use the software, the more you may experience some physical discomfort or side effects. If you talk a lot, you might experience hoarseness or strain your vocal chords.
Basically, if you want to have the best SRS, you need to choose the one suited for your needs. It should have a personalized professional support and training to make sure you understand how it works and how you can maximize the software. You should be able to integrate the software with your everyday use.
What are the 7 features you need to have in speech recognition software?
Each speech recognition software has its own unique features and it is best to know what you want to personalize your needs. However, we are going to talk about the seven features of SRS that are mostly used in all industries and for personal use. These are:
- You are unable to use a software, no matter how great, if you do not know how to use it.
- Voice recognition capability. The software should have the ability to familiarize itself with your voice profile and your accent.
- Dictation ability. This should be the main strength of SRS. It must have the ability to recognize your speech and accurately convert it into text. A great voice recognition software should have no problems in identifying dictation, even if one has an accent.
- Command function. It has the ability to let your voice serve as a guide to navigating your computer. You will be able to give them basic commands such as opening certain programs and setting preferences.
- SRS now has the capability to be used on a computer or on compatible mobile devices.
- You can use a voice command to be able to set up recurring tasks. This will save you time when you need to do things repeatedly. You also need a software that can learn what you need to do so it can personalize your style and preference.
- Help and customer support. Self-service options and a FAQ page of the software are beneficial if you would like to troubleshoot any issues you have with your software. You can also have the option to contact customer support. It is best if you can contact customer support in various ways such as through e-mail, telephone, or the web.
Speech recognition software is all about accuracy and speed. Price varies and sometimes it is best if you pay more to get better features or to have more accuracy. When buying, you may also want to consider the time you need to learn about the program and navigate with ease. No matter what software you will use, it is supposed to simplify your workload or tasks.
Using a speech recognition software will make you work more efficiently, faster and more productively, either at work or for your personal use. If you are considering to buy SRS, try reading the reviews of the best speech recognition software from CrowdReviews.com and get started today.
Trevor Price
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