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My experiences with voice recognition software by Bruce Warr About three months ago I was looking for voice recognition software to use with my computer. I had seen a demonstration over three years ago of one that was used for word processing. The name of the program with DragonDictate and at that time the cost was $1200. Define doubtful was currently available I accessed Dragon Systems Web page. The latest version of DragonDictate cost only $300, but they were also offering a new program called NaturallySpeaking for introductory price of $300. I have been using NaturallySpeaking for three months now and have been asked by several people to give my evaluation of it for the list server. One of the most common concerns expressed by people with Parkinson's has been the ability of the speech recognition program to recognize their deteriorating voices. To this and, I have tried to use NaturallySpeaking only when my medication is off. Under that condition, my voice is monotone, soft, somewhat slurred, and has a slight stammer. NaturallySpeaking had absolutely no problem adjusting to the changing quality of my voice. As I dictate this my medication is off and the only training I have needed to do was for those new words in the last sentence of the above paragraph that I used for the first time. Even if what you say bears little resemblance to the actual words, as long as NaturallySpeaking can make the association it will type the correct words. I do not have any experience with other speech recognition programs on the market, so any comparison I make with them is based upon reviews I have read. The greatest advantage of NaturallySpeaking is the speed at which types. According to specifications it can reach 100 words per minute. I don't know if I have reached that speed yet, but it has no problem keeping up with the speed at which I'm now speaking. As far as I can determine all the other speech recognition programs require that the speaker speak in a slow, clipped voice. Also, according to specifications, NaturallySpeaking has the largest vocabulary, both permanent and user-defined, of all the programs. Following is a brief tour of a NaturallySpeaking session. When you first run the program it launches an audio Wizard. The Wizard will set the volume levels on your microphone and also assess the quality of your audio signal. The head mounted microphone that comes with the program has always been rated above-average in quality. You can rerun the Wizard anytime you wish. The most tedious part of the initial setup is initial voice training. You spend a couple of hours reading from stored text. This session can be broken up however. One of the selections used is Arthur C. Clark's 2001: a space Odyssey. A second type of training is called vocabulary training. During this session, the program evaluates files which you have created and selects any unusual vocabulary items. You then train the program on the pronounciation of these words. These sessions are for the initial training only. From that point on, the program uses what ever you dictate as input to adjust its recognition files. NaturallySpeaking comes up in its own word processor type window. Except for initially turning on the microphone, the entire session can be run by voice only, including all menu commands. The dictation files can be saved out as either text or RTF files. Wants you get used to the editing and file control commands, using NaturallySpeaking is relatively easy. What can it be used for? The most common application is obviously as a word processor, or more precisely, a text editor. Although the program has standard text editing controls, you have to export the file to a regular word processor if you want to do anything fancy. Although the procedure is somewhat clumsy, NaturallySpeaking can also be used to fill out and online form. First of all you must dictate the data you want entered and make any corrections. You then copy this to the clipboard, switch to the program with the form in it, and paste the data into the field. This technique can also be used with most chat programs. All of this can be done using voice controls of only. All in all Ohio found NaturallySpeaking easy-to-use and highly accurate. In dictating this message, I have had to make very few corrections. Although the program starts out a bit slow, after a few minutes it gets up to speed. Right now it is actually typing as fast as I can speak. However, this ease-of-use comes at a price. The list price is $695, but the street price is probably a bit lower. Whether or not disease views is worth the extra cost depends on the individual. For me, it is well worth it. Bruce 56/9 Sinemet CR and Mirapex * I am because I choose to be * * look mom, no hands *