Article - Speak Up For More Independence

Use Voice Recognition!

For generations, fiction writers have created future civilizations where people were able to control machines by simply talking to them. One of the Star Trek movies even used this theme as a comic device when a trip back to the present left a computer obstinately non-respondent to verbal commands. To the writers, voice recognition capabilities reflect the ability to work more easily with machines, particularly computers. To a person with low vision or a physical disability, voice recognition can mean independence.

Engineers have been intrigued by voice recognition and voice activation for decades as well. As computer chips became more powerful, designers could pack more instructions into voice recognition programs. The biggest problem with voice activation and voice recognition is the ability for the computer chip to distinguish speech from all the other noise in the environment. The program must also recognize all the variances of the human speech, from accents to dialects to speech impediments.

Some businesses have woven accurate voice recognition into very confined environments with limited ambient noises. An example of this is the Voice Response Unit - those mechanized voices that answer your telephone call and redirect you based upon your verbal response.

As consumers, we have seen voice recognition programs on personal computers improve in their capacity to be trained to recognize speech patterns and respond appropriately. These programs are commonly used for dictation purposes.

Small electronic devices have more to overcome than the voice recognition programs that can run directly on computers. All the technology must fit within the device, with very compact mechanical resources. In addition the device must deal with microphones that will pick up noise in the environment while still being able to handle the variances in our speech. Due to the demand for hands-free dialing capabilities while driving, cell phone technology has been a leader in voice recognition, incorporating a type of speed dialing by recognizing spoken names.

Voice activated technology is available in systems that can operate appliances and telephones throughout a house. Incorporating several aspects of home automation, these systems are complex to install and can cost several thousand dollars.

Dynamic-Living.com has been working closely with several engineers and manufacturers to help provide consumer input and test the functionality of the next wave of voice activation in simple electronic devices. We have noted improvements in the ability to decipher what was said and respond appropriately. We are also pleased by the attention being given to persons with disabilities as the products are being designed.

Here are some of our favorite voice recognition products:

• Voice Activated Universal TV Remote - an interactive device. It talks back to you when you press the buttons, telling you what number or function you chose. It listens for your verbal command. You can program functions so you can control the volume, change the channels or turn on the TV without touching the remote.

• Voice Dialer - a speed dialer for any telephone. Simply pick up the phone, say the name and the Voice Dialer will dial the correct number for you. This voice recognition product is 'speaker dependent' (trained to hear a particular voice), allowing for better speech pattern recognition.

• Voice Activated Telephone - a speakerphone that can be answered by saying "Hello!" between rings.

Each of these products offers independence to people with limited use of their hands or to people whose vision is limited. The result is greater satisfaction with their ability to control their own environment and less dependence on caregivers to attend to these common tasks. In most cases that translates into lower cost of care and increased quality of life. A great combination!

© Copyright 2003 Dynamic Living, Inc.
Dynamic Living Newsletter may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the editor must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.

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