Microsoft Office Speech Recognition

Microsoft has been working on speech recognition technology as a product for several years. I’ve been using this feature since Microsoft launch the Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Office XP. Two of the features that we can use in this Voice Recognition technology are Voice Command and Voice Dictation.

This feature is available in the Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, English (U.S.), and Japanese language versions of Microsoft Office 2003 and in the Simplified Chinese, English (U.S.), and Japanese language versions of Microsoft Office XP.

According to its name, Voice Command is a feature that will enable us to give instruction to Microsoft Office family. For example, if you want to create a new file, usually we use our pc’s keyboard by pressing Ctrl+N stroke, or use our mouse by clicking on menu File, and then we choose New. Voice Command adds one more option for giving instruction to Microsoft Office by only saying “Menu File New” with your microphone. Voice Dictate is a feature that enable us to dictate words using our voice and Microsoft Office will type the words automatically.

To use this feature, there are some things that need to be consider and to be done. In general, you will be asked to create a voice profile. And to create this voice profile, make sure that you use the high quality microphone and make sure that you have a quite environment. It would be better if you don’t have any other sound around you.

Ok, lets start to configure and use it. I will simulate the configuration on Microsoft Office 2003. 
Click on Menu Options – Speech to start the Speech Recognition User Profile Wizard.

In this wizard, user will be asked to adjust the microphone volume level.

   

Next step of the wizard is text positioning.

Next step, wizard will asked user to create user’s voice profile. The process would in the form of voice training; user will be asked to read some words or sentences. User may skip this step by clicking on the Skip button, and the Microsoft Office will load the default user voice profile. But I suggest users to finish the voice training. It take times and need you to be patient, but the voice profile result will be very accurate, because you have your own voice profile.

   

Ok. Configuration is done. Microsoft Office will show you the Speech Toolbar. In this toolbar, you may use the Voice Command option and start giving instructions to Microsoft Office application, or you may use the Dictation facility to dictate texts to the Microsoft Office.

Cheers,

Written with Windows Live Writer