Voice Recognition

The Bottom Line: It Ain't Ready for Prime Time

Article by Bruce L. Dorner

AS A PRACTICAL matter, I compare voice recognition software programs to a base line secretary. They are generally very good, but occasionally make a few typographical or syntax errors. Part of the problem is the flexibility you give the secretary. If they know "what you meant to say," and make the change, then you don't realize you even made a mistake. Computer voice recognition doesn't have a "you know what I meant" button.

Article by Eric H. Steele and Thomas Scharbach

"You talk, it types ..."

SO GOES AN ad campaign for speech recognition software. Is it that simple? Not quite. Last year at this time it looked as if speech recognition was close to being ready for prime time. All of the major speech recognition companies rolled out continuous speech recognition software with great promise, and most industry analysts predicted that speech recognition would be ready for prime time within another year, as the improved speech recognition software and a new generation of desktop hardware converged to bring dictation to the desktop.