Good Cross-Platform Speech-Recognition Programs? 175
CryoStasis writes "I am a graduate student getting my degree in biomedical sciences. Because my work often requires me to maintain a local sterile environment (under a biological hood) I find that I am unable to physically touch my computer, which sits beside me, in order to open my notes, protocols, etc. while I'm working. As a result, I have begun to search for a voice-recognition program that will allow me to tell the computer what files/programs to launch. I know that the general field of voice recognition has come a long way, but I find that the built-in speech recognition systems in both OS X and Vista are clunky and difficult to use. Are there any good, cross-platform speech-recognition programs available that might fit the bill?"
Vista (Score:2, Funny)
Here's a Video [youtube.com].
Re:Paper (Score:5, Funny)
I can't say I've ever been in a biolab, but the idea of someone working in one, with their hands in a sealed box manipulating god-only-knows-what... and then trying to talk/use a computer at the same time give me the hebejebees. I can think of at least four hollywood horror movies that started with similar premises. Sometimes a simple low-tech solution really is the best... and it saves on zombie attacks.
Three words (Score:5, Funny)
Cute summer student.
Re:Paper (Score:4, Funny)
Yes, but like most geeks... he wants to do everything himself. God forbid a man ask for help...
Undergrads (Score:1, Funny)
The best (and cheapest) speech recognition program is "undergrad". It will open anything you want on your computer, and even read it back to you. Sometimes it just stops working, though, so you might have to keep getting newer versions as they become available.
Re:Smart kid (Score:3, Funny)
So you're a grad student in the sciences and write "build in" instead of "built-in".
Don't rag on him, it was his software. He originally said "included."
Re:Nope, there isn't. (Score:3, Funny)
Wouldn't it be something like "Browser, Address, Spell, w, space, b, o, b, c, a, t, s, Enter". I wouldn't expect completely natural language parsing for quite a few years yet.
Incidentally. I tried the Vista speech recognition (got a computer in Jan 08 with it preinstalled) by running the tutorial. I was amazed, it was awesome, recognised every word I said. Then I said the wrong word ... and it typed the right one. Hmmm. It was actually just detecting a sound and printing the expected word - fooled me for quite a while!
Turned off the tutorial and tried it. Couldn't even get a command to work, never mind it recognising random words. It just printed pure gobbledegook.
Re:Why must it be cross platform? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Nope, there isn't. (Score:0, Funny)
I know reading articles is verbotten for slashdotters but the summary???
Failing in both English and German, that is how you roll.
Re:teamwork (Score:1, Funny)
Yeah but this is slashdot. He could go down the pub if he wanted to be told to get somebody to help him. He obviously wants a slashdot solution. So here goes:
Build a robot that responds to voice commands. Then you can say, "Robot! Turn Macintosh computer on!" and the robot will turn the computer on. Then you can say, "Robot! Look up the chemical formula for DNA on Wikipedia! I think I might have found some DNA but I should just check with a reliable source!", and the robot will use firefox (robots don't like IE) and check on Wikipedia and read out the answer to you.
Since the robot has to be able to read to tell you what's in your notes and stuff, you may as well go the whole nineteen yards and make it able to understand English text. Then set it loose on those Stupid Unix Tricks articles, so it can teach you Unix.
Other useful things you could get the robot to do are: make coffee, dab the sweat off your brow with a damp cloth, go downtown and collect pizzas, and if it can dance like a monkey that'd be great too. Ook ook.
Since the questioner is working in a bioweapons lab, it's a fair bet that Iranian secret agents will be trying to break in and steal the HyperAnthrax he's working on. Therefore, it makes sense to also give the robot ninja training. You'll probably need some sort of Enemy Secret Agent Or Friendly Lab Worker Identification System (ESAFLWIS), but that's a subject for a different Ask Slashdot. A ninja robot will need a lot of secret compartments to store throwing stars, smoke bombs, stink bombs, katanas, those spikey hook gloves for climbing walls, ect ect ect. Since you're working in a bioweapons lab, probably a few anthrax bombs or smallpox bombs would be good too.
So yeah, don't listen to those other people who are trying to waste your time with "a cute assistant", or "a wireless keyboard", or "pieces of paper". Definitely build a robot. It shouldn't take long. I saw a documentary about one scientist who built one, just took a few hours. It was almost realistic enough to go to school with real meatbag children without being noticed. I think it was called "Small Wonder", it'll probably be on the history channel again soon.
Re: Zombies (Score:4, Funny)
You: "Wow. This virus interferes with T-Cells, even reanimating dead tissue. That's really wild!"
Computer: "Command accepted. Releasing virus into the wild."