Setting Up And Using Speech Recognition In Windows Seven With Tips For Increasing Its Accuracy.

Speech recognition technology in Windows Seven is highly underrated, many people don't even realize that it is integrated into the operating system. After using it for just under an hour it seems that the only limitation is the vocabulary but even this is quite extensive. When speaking clearly the programs ability to recognize words appears to be very accurate. This article gives a brief outline of Windows Sevens' in built speech recognition software.

  The speech recognition software in Windows 7 can determine the difference between commands and dictation. This is very useful, it allows you to change between windows, launch applications, scroll documents, open menus, correct mistakes and dictate text all by speaking clearly into a microphone. The more you use it the more accurate it becomes. Even over the short period of an hour it has become easy to integrate the commands into my dictation in order to correct mistakes or add punctuation.  This article was written using the speech recognition in Windows 7.

So how do you turn it on or set it up. Open up your Control Panel and double click the speech recognition icon. Or type "Speech" into the Control Panels search bar, you should see the icon below. Click on "Speech Recognition"

The first thing to do is ensure that your microphone is set up correctly, so click on “Set up microphone” and follow the prompts.

It is all very simple and the prompts are easy to follow.

Alternatively you can click on "Start speech recognition" and it will lead you through the microphone set up then follow on with the tutorial. The tutorial actually helps train your computer while providing you with some useful info. If you don't want to do the tutorial you can go back to the Control Panel and select "Train your computer to better understand you"

The speech recognition needs to be trained in order to get the most out of it. You can do this at any time.

Training involves reading displayed text for only a few short minutes, I ran through this portion twice before entering the tutorial. The tutorial itself teaches you the basic commands and continues the training of the software to better understand your voice.

Some tips for using speech recognition more accurately.

• When dictating text attempt to pronounce words correctly while maintaining fluid speech. You don't have to talk slow and steady like a robot. The software, when unsure of a word or phrase will attempt to provide the correct word by analyzing its context.
• Pause before issuing commands. Although the software can determine the difference between commands and dictation I have found it helpful to pause, for just a second, before issuing a command. The software may interpret this pause as a break in context, allowing it to more easily differentiate the command from dictated text.
• Use the software regularly. Increased use means increased accuracy.
• Ensure you have a good quality microphone. Desktop microphones are not usually the best options for speech recognition; headsets are usually a better choice. I am using a Turtle Beach HPA2 headset but I play a lot of games and watch movies on my PC. If you only want a headset for dictation I would suggest something more generic, Logitech has many competent headsets to suit almost any budget.
• Try to maintain microphone positioning, word pronunciation and the characteristics of your voice between sessions.
• Correct mistakes before carrying on to the next sentence or paragraph. If the software has made a mistake it may repeat that mistake the next time that you repeat the word or phrase. If you corrected immediately it will be less likely to make that mistake a second time as the software also learns from corrections.
  You can make corrections with your mouse and keyboard but using the speech recognition itself to fix dictation errors will improve the accuracy of commands and dictation.
• Saying the phrase “what can I say” will open a help window. This window provides a list of common commands used to control your computer, punctuation or other phrases useful in dictation.

My personal thoughts on the software.

I have used various forms of voice recognition software since 1997. (you can find the history of speech recognition software here) In the past I have found speech recognition software to be more of a toy than a useful application. This is quite possibly one of the best implementations I have used. It required only minimal training, as outlined above, but the accuracy and ease of use is very good. The integration into the operating system itself is also well done. You can launch applications just by saying “open” and then the application name. For people with physical limitations this in itself makes the software worthwhile. The only downside is that you feel kind of dorky talking to nobody   , but for slow typists like me this may offer an alternative that may increase productivity.
As a side note I just said “smiley face” and it actually produced one.

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