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Analytic Rehabilitation

Good-bye Keyboards - Hello Future?

By Jerry Garber
E & H Business Services

After Victoria Reyes developed carpal tunnel syndrome as a program analyst for the Los Angeles County Probation Department, she had surgery on both wrists. When she returned to work, her physician restricted her to four hours of typing per day-an order that would have made it impossible for her to continue doing her job. So her office installed voice recognition software. After using the software for two weeks, Reyes' pain lessened. "It's been a month now, and even though I'm not perfect yet, I am a lot better," she says.

Reyes believes voice recognition systems will make work easier for administrative assistants. "Just by speaking certain commands into a microphone, you'll be able to do the same things you do now with your mouse and keyboard," she says. However, voice recognition is not a "cure-all" for repetitive strain disorders. Reyes still keeps a keyboard on her desk because even after eight hours of training, she still is not totally familiar with the new system.

Still a fairly new technology, voice recognition software has the potential to relieve problems associated with carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain disorder, common ailments affecting many administrative assistants. "A voice recognition system can make your job easier by reducing repetitive stress injuries. If used properly, it can improve your performance and help you do twice as much in half the time," says Jerry Garber, sales manager of E&H Business Services in San Diego, CA, a value added reseller that sells voice recognition software. Garber is convinced that voice recognition systems will replace keyboards by the year 2010. "The technology is here," Garber says. "It's affordable, most of the bugs are out, and it has a bright future, especially for administrative assistants." This year, his company will install voice recognition systems on 4,000 PCs at one communications company alone, trimming 11 seconds off each data entry and saving the firm an estimated $4 million a year.

The Need for Speed

If voice recognition systems really are the wave of the future, why isn't everybody using this new technology? One of the biggest drawbacks is the amount of speed they need. Most offices simply aren't equipped with computers fast enough to run the software. One of Garber's clients processes up to 190 wpm with 98 percent accuracy on a 500 MHz Pentium III system with 256 MB of RAM using Dragon's Professional Edition. "That's kind of unusual," he admits. "You'll never get close to that kind of speed unless you have a 333 Mhz Pentium with 128 MB of RAM plus a 16-bit sound card."

So exactly how much speed do you need? To effectively run Dragon's software, your hard disk needs at least 240 MB, your memory should be at least 64 MB, and your system should be a Pentium II or III with a minimum of 200 MHz. Unfortunately, most administrative assistants won't find a brand-new Pentium III waiting on their desks Monday morning.

"Companies don't want to spend the money yet," Garber says, "but the right voice recognition software will make you so much more productive that they'll get their money back in no time flat," There is one way to get around the high cost of purchasing new equipment - upgrade your computer's memory.

Weigh the Pros and Cons

Voice recognition systems are more affordable and more sophisticated than when they were introduced on the marketplace ten years ago, but there is still room for improvement. One problem is picking up unintentional noises and mistakes.

Although programs on the market today come equipped with large vocabularies and spell checkers, and allow you to edit and make corrections to your text, they will type everything you say-including noises and mistakes.

Other cons include programs that are:

On the plus side, some programs will suggest variations on unclear words. Other features include:

Depending on the program, you may also be able to compose and send e-mail and faxes - even in other languages-and surf the Net. Some expensive systems allow mobile dictation and can be used on a laptop, but if all you need the system for is dictation, you'll find programs with varying degress of quality it prices under $500 for both home and business applications.

The following are some of the voice recognition products on the market today:

For a complete review of voice recognition software programs, see the July 1999 issue of PC Magazine or visit: www.zdnet.co.uk/pcmag/labs/1999/07/speech.

To Buy, or Not to Buy

Before you buy, test different systems and make sure the bugs are out. Find out what's offered in the way of training and technical support and ask to see a demonstration of the software. Here's a list of questions to help you find a system with all the features you'll need:

Voice Recognition 101

If you're ready to invest in a voice recognition system, be prepared to commit yourself to learning it. Although you'll be up and running after about four hours of training, expect a four- to six-month teaming curve to become truly proficient. You should also read supporting materials-they'll help with more advanced tasks after your initial training. Many people give up too soon because they're not willing to commit the time to learning them.

"Yes, the product is great and will save you time and money in the long run, but it's no magic wand," Garber cautions. "Don't expect miracles to happen overnight. You need training and will have to put in lots of time and effort to team the system and become good at it."

The secret to making your system work for you is to build the right macros. A macro is a single command to accomplish a task automatically. You can build macros for virtually any function-from creating letterheads, business card, and forms to working in other applications. In some instances, you can build macros with simple voice commands, but with many systems on the market today, you still need to create them manually. Be prepared to set aside a large block of time to create your macros-at least three hours. The computer needs to learn your voice, inflections, and commands.

Trends in software show that voice recognition systems are the wave of the future. As the cost of new computer equipment drops, chances are voice recognition software will find its way to your office. Some products, like Lotus, SmartSuite, already have software built in, and according to Garber, all of Intel's Pentium III motherboards are compatible with Dragon's voice recognition software.

Remember-learning voice recognition is a two-way street. The computer needs time to recognize you, your unique voice imprint, and commands, and you have to take time to learn about your system.