Apple Speech Recognition (www.apple.com/macosx/features/speech/), included in Mac OS X, is rudimentary and is appropriate primarily for controlling a computer by voice commands. It requires no training and can convert English text to spoken words.
The future
Speech recognition programs that can be integrated with telephones, wireless phones, and tablet screens are in development. Microsoft has released speech-control software for Pocket PC devices that run on Windows Mobile 2003 and recognition software for navigating the Web.
Before long, personal digital assistants with built-in speech-recognition technology may respond to spoken questions or commands with a computer-synthesized voice, thus making a clumsy stylus or keypad outdated.
Related resources
- Huang MP, Alessi NE. The Internet and the future of psychiatry. Am J Psychiatry 1996;153:861-9.
- Fulton S. Chart comparing features of Windows-based continuous speech programs. www.out-loud.com/features.html.
- Taintor Z. Computers, the patient, and the psychiatrist. In Dickstein LJ, Riba MB, Oldham JM. Review of psychiatry. Vol 16. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1997.
Disclosure
Dr. Green reports no financial relationship with any company whose products are mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed by Dr. Green are his and do not necessarily reflect those of Current Psychiatry.
Acknowledgment
The author thanks Dan Newman, author of several books and video guides on speech recognition, and Len Zullo, chief executive officer, Assistive Technologies Inc., for their help with researching this article and personal communication regarding current product features and comparisons.