speech recog software

[nevadatear]

Hey all you computer gurus out there. I partially amputated my thumb (non dominant) a few weeks ago and start back to work soon, but cannot type for long times, which I must do at work. Looking at speech recognition software. Any one familiar? What is built in to newer computers versus say Dragon add in? My work computer is old, with office 2000.

[wannabefree]

Sorry about the thumb. Speech recognition is a hard thing to do well and I don't have a recommendation. However, thanks to the ADA your employer is obligated to make some accommodations. That can include upgrading your computer to something from the 21st century and buying the software you need. Or backing off on typing demands. Anyway, check with your doctor/rehab/therapist for recommendations. Your community will have organizations that provide assistance to para and quadraplegics. These folks rely on speech recog to function in our keyboarding society. If anyone knows speech recog software, they will.
There are also keyboards that can be operated one-handed. Think of a grip with 5 buttons. You press different combinations to form a letter. Probably takes a lot of getting used to, but is an alternative.
Let me know what you find. I am looking forward to shoulder surgery and facing the same problem.

[myoung]

Although I don't use it very often, I've found Dragon Dictation, which is free on the Apple iPad, to be virtually letter-perfect.

[Woodbutcher]

I have the Dragon Dictation on my Iphone. Works good but you need to talk slower then normal and pronounce your words clearly. My neighbor has the full program at his work and he says it works better then the free app does.

[Shadow Catcher]

My keyboarding speed is shall we say glacial and for serious writing I use Dragon Naturally Speaking. Once you train it and it trains you (diction) it can be very accurate (it spells better than I do). http://nuance.software.net
Pay attention to finding a good speech recognition headset and watch processor speed requirements.

[starleen2]

I've used IBM Via Voice for many years with great success - you have to train your voice, but after that - it hits about 98% accuracy. Microsoft does offer a free voice recognition system in a software development package as an Microsoft Speech SDK package 5.1. if you had office 2003 - it's built into the software. Windows 7 also has it built into the OS. it takes some time to get it configured and running, but for free - it works just as good as Dragon or ViaVoice

[S. Heisley]

Debbie,

This isn't about speech recognition software but about another way to maybe help.

I'm thinking that you might be able to go to the fabric shop and find a very large thimble that you can use to protect your thumb, something that you can stick in your pocket and put on when you need it to type. Or, could you take one of those metal finger protectors that med staff give you (or used to give you) and adapt it to use like a thimble/extension?

[nevadatear]

thank all, for the great help. Susan, good thought about the thimble, but the problem right now is not really about protecting my thumb, it is soooo swollen (thimbles don't come as large as my thumb is right now) and painful it will be a long time before I use it again, but using the other fingers. The tendons are all so integrated in your hand the frequent use of the fingers, as in typing, with its concussive type pounding, moves the injured thumb tendons and muscles and causes serious pain a few hours later so i need to not type at all with my left hand quite a while and that leaves unacceptable hunt and peck rt hand method. I highly recommend not cutting off part of your thumb everyone. it is a royal pain!

[S. Heisley]

it is a royal pain!

...both figuratively and literally! Thanks for the explanation and educating me. Sorry you have to go through all this.

[Phooey]

We use the Dragon Naturally speaking software in our office. Once you get used to speaking clearly and a little slower it does very well. We use it for medical documentation so it has to be very accurate.

[dh]

My father has Parkenson's diseas, and used to be a super fast typer. We got him the Dragon naturally speaking for Christmas. He has problems with it because the diseas (or one of the meds he is taking for it) is starting to make him slur his speach. We set it up on my mom's computer, and she has no problems, except that she says she can type faster than she can talk.

BUT, set up is crucial in this type of software. There can be no background noise while you are training it to recognize your voice.

[nevadatear]

I am so excited I have discovered with help from everyone that word 2003 has a built in speech recognition program . So I got myself a microphone, and in doing some practice , and looks like I'm almost right back up to speed . And that spells better than I do. For those of us typing issues are spelling issues and they will look into it . Should a speed up the response time he got trouble with your fingers . and I would cost me was the cost of a headphone microphone for less than twenty bucks

[S. Heisley]

That's wonderful! Smart thinking! Congratulations on finding such an easy and inexpensive solution, Debbie.