What is Voice Recognition? :: essays research papers

First off, what is voice recognition technology? Voice recognition is a computer application that lets people control a computer by speaking to it. In other words, rather than using a keyboard to communicate with the computer, the user speaks commands into a microphone (usually on a headset) that is connected to a computer. By speaking into the microphone, users can do two things. First, they can tell their computers to execute commands such as open a document, save changes, delete a paragraph, even move the cursor--all without touching a key. Second, users can write using voice recognition in conjunction with a standard word processing program. When users speak into the microphone their words can appear on a computer screen in a word processing format, ready for revision and editing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Voice recognition has gained tremendous popularity over the past few years. It has gone from imagination, to rumor, to reality and this trend is not going to stop. It this will be better explained by Jeffrey C. Scott from Computer Shopper in the paragraphs below. â€Å"The ability to interact with computers by talking to them may help bridge the gap between human beings and machines. Once deemed a fantastical glimpse into a science-fiction-like future, voice-recognition technology has undergone several significant developments recently, and it now seems destined to move us toward a humanized computer interface. But that's for the future. At present, voice-recognition technology at its best lets us focus on our daily tasks and needs rather than on the computer's commands and syntax. Imagine inputting all your requests, numerous e-mail messages, routine correspondence and numerical data simply by telling them to the computer. Executives with limited typing skills, individuals who are physically challenged, and users who suffer from pain associated with the repetitive motion of typing can all benefit from voice-recognition applications. In fact, almost anyone can profit from this technology, though it may take some adjustment and a little patie nce to scale the learning curve. Today's voice-recognition products are notably easier to use than those of the past. In addition, veterans of voice recognition should find that the new and improved dictation systems require substantially less training and customization.† â€Å"The Virtues of Training :Training a voice-recognition system consists of a defined dictation session where you are prompted to say words, phrases, and sentences. This exercise, which can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and a half, allows the computer to become accustomed to your pronunciation.