Stalkid64
Citizen(sixty)four
Yes, due to a strange case of the previously assumed made up disease RSI actually being proven a real thing (and typing left-hand only not being easy), I`ve been bored enough to have a go with some basic voice recognition software for running programs etc, and have actually been pleasantly surprised with a shareware program I`d have to recommend anyone with a desktop mic / webcam mic at least try.
The software I tried is "VoiceMate" (v1.10), a 14-day trial version can be found at zdnet, and I`m actually considering paying the required £25 registration fee to keep it running, which is a miracle in itself!
Basics; 2mb download plus some misc other files it needs to run (it totals up to a reasonable 10-12mb).
A lot of commands are already in there, you simply speak into the mic` and it`ll do as you ask. You can add extra commands for running programs etc simply by hitting "add entry", naming the command (just something convienient for memory), then type in what you want to say and point it to the appropriate file/exe.
For example, name something "run outlook", type in "email" and point it to the .exe for outlook (or whatever), save the command, and any time you say `email` into the mic it`ll run outlook etc.
Cool things to do - setting it to mp3`s so that saying the name of a song will start it playing (more useful than you might think for favourite songs), ditto video clips (any time I say "its a me, Mario" my copy will run the mario sunshine commercial video clip... okay yes I thought it was funny). Or setting up a command word such as "Net" to run Opera, or "Leech MP3S" to load Kazaa (things such as "run browser" for IE and "run notepad" are pre-included)... setting commands to view pictures, or any other software is as easy as typing what you want to say, then pointing it to the correct file to run. Set it to open oft-used buried directories too... network shortcuts for example, quite a good deal faster. The lazy can even simply say "right click" and such to perform a mouse action
(Note that on install there are around 120 predone commands - I have had this since last night and run up to 164 commands already)
It also includes pre-made commands for winamp (saying "stop", "rewind" "pause" etc), tells the time and date (speech) simply by saying "what is the time" etc, commands for shutting down, closing/minimising/maximising windows, and after fiddling with the "global score" (er, recognition certainty or something like that - kick it *right down*) it`s really very useful. Easy to use, and surprisingly good for voice recognition rates too! Even if you don`t expect voice recognition software to be any good give it a shot if you have a mic`... its pleasantly surprising... and damn funny too if you set the right commands.
(Okay... so setting winamp so that saying/shouting "Silence!" will stop the track playing at least amused me for a little while.)
Go on, try it!
Ah heck, here`s a nice direct link for you for the `main` file... http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bootblock/VoiceMate.exe
The software I tried is "VoiceMate" (v1.10), a 14-day trial version can be found at zdnet, and I`m actually considering paying the required £25 registration fee to keep it running, which is a miracle in itself!
Basics; 2mb download plus some misc other files it needs to run (it totals up to a reasonable 10-12mb).
A lot of commands are already in there, you simply speak into the mic` and it`ll do as you ask. You can add extra commands for running programs etc simply by hitting "add entry", naming the command (just something convienient for memory), then type in what you want to say and point it to the appropriate file/exe.
For example, name something "run outlook", type in "email" and point it to the .exe for outlook (or whatever), save the command, and any time you say `email` into the mic it`ll run outlook etc.
Cool things to do - setting it to mp3`s so that saying the name of a song will start it playing (more useful than you might think for favourite songs), ditto video clips (any time I say "its a me, Mario" my copy will run the mario sunshine commercial video clip... okay yes I thought it was funny). Or setting up a command word such as "Net" to run Opera, or "Leech MP3S" to load Kazaa (things such as "run browser" for IE and "run notepad" are pre-included)... setting commands to view pictures, or any other software is as easy as typing what you want to say, then pointing it to the correct file to run. Set it to open oft-used buried directories too... network shortcuts for example, quite a good deal faster. The lazy can even simply say "right click" and such to perform a mouse action
(Note that on install there are around 120 predone commands - I have had this since last night and run up to 164 commands already)
It also includes pre-made commands for winamp (saying "stop", "rewind" "pause" etc), tells the time and date (speech) simply by saying "what is the time" etc, commands for shutting down, closing/minimising/maximising windows, and after fiddling with the "global score" (er, recognition certainty or something like that - kick it *right down*) it`s really very useful. Easy to use, and surprisingly good for voice recognition rates too! Even if you don`t expect voice recognition software to be any good give it a shot if you have a mic`... its pleasantly surprising... and damn funny too if you set the right commands.
(Okay... so setting winamp so that saying/shouting "Silence!" will stop the track playing at least amused me for a little while.)
Go on, try it!
Ah heck, here`s a nice direct link for you for the `main` file... http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bootblock/VoiceMate.exe
