Personalize Your Work Environment in Windows Vista

May 5, 2008

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Using Speech Recognition

Control Panel's Speech utility controls Windows' speech-recognition and text-to-speech (speech synthesizer) features.

Speech recognition lets you speak into a microphone to control your computer; you can give commands that the computer will carry out or dictate text that will self-type on your screen. You can create a voice profile that trains your computer to understand you better. You can use speech recognition to dictate documents and email messages, use your voice to control programs and browse the web, and avoid repetitive-strain injuries by reducing the use of your mouse and keyboard.

Currently, speech recognition works for:

Nearly all applications that come with Windows Vista
Microsoft Word and Outlook (but not Excel and PowerPoint)

Windows' text-to-speech (TTS) utility reads aloud onscreen text, buttons, menus, filenames, keystrokes, and other items by using a speech synthesizer. The only built-in program that reads to you is Narrator, which has its own voice controls (see "Accommodating Disabled Users" earlier in this chapter). You can find other TTS programs at www.microsoft.com/enable.

To set up speech recognition for first use:

Choose Start > All Programs > Accessories > Ease of Access > Windows Speech Recognition.

or

Choose Start, type speech recognition in the Search box, and then press Enter.

The Set Up Speech Recognition wizard opens. Figure 4.57 shows the wizard's first two pages.

Figure 4.57 This wizard helps you set up your microphone, learn how to talk to your computer, and train your computer to understand your speech.
Follow the onscreen instructions.

TIPs

To set up the parts of speech recognition individually, choose Start > Control Panel > Ease of Access > Speech Recognition Options (Figure 4.58). Click Set Up Microphone, Take Speech Tutorial, and Train Your Computer to Better Understand You. Follow the onscreen instructions that appear after you click each link.

Figure 4.58 Use this window to start, configure, and get help for speech recognition.
The speech tutorial takes about 30 minutes to complete. Make sure that you have enough uninterrupted free time to finish it.

To set speech options:

Choose Start > Control Panel > Ease of Access > Speech Recognition Options > Advanced Speech Options (on the left) > Speech Recognition tab (Figure 4.59).

Figure 4.59 You must train a speech recognizer to adapt to the sound of your voice, word pronunciation, accent, and speaking manner.
In the Language section, choose a speech-recognition engine from the drop-down list or click Settings (if available) to show additional engine properties.
In the Recognition Profiles section, click New to create a new recognition profile for your voice; then follow the onscreen instructions when the wizard opens.
In the Microphone section, set and configure your audio input device.
Click OK (or Apply).

To use speech recognition:

Choose Start > Control Panel > Ease of Access > Speech Recognition Options (refer to Figure 4.58).
Click Open the Speech Reference Card to use a quick reference while you give commands and dictate text.
Switch back to Speech Recognition Options and click Start Speech Recognition.

If you haven't yet set up speech recognition, the Set Up Speech Recognition wizard opens; see "To set up speech recognition for first use" earlier in this section.

See the sidebar for an example session.

TIPs

To correct mistakes while dictating text, say "Correct" and the word that the computer typed by mistake; then select the correct word in the list offered by Speech Recognition or repeat the correct word again. If the computer misrecognized "speech" as "peach," say "Correct peach," and then select the right word in the list or say "speech" again.
When you say a command that can be interpreted in a few ways, the system displays a disambiguation interface to clarify what you intended.
Speak directly into your microphone, and make sure that it's properly attached and not muted. If your computer still can't hear you, check the input level on the Levels tab of the mic's Properties dialog box (see "To configure recording devices" in "Configuring Sound and Audio Devices" earlier in this chapter).

An Example Session

The most common way to use speech recognition is to dictate a document. Here's a quick example that starts WordPad, dictates the body of a document, names and saves the document, and exits WordPad:

"Start listening." (This makes the computer listen to you.)
"Open WordPad."
"This is a test of speech recognition period." (Remember to pronounce punctuation.)
Say "File," then "Save As," then "My test document," and then "Save."
"Close WordPad."
"Stop listening." (This makes the computer stop listening to you.)

To set TTS options:

Choose Start > Control Panel > Ease of Access > Speech Recognition Options > Advanced Speech Options (on the left) > Text to Speech tab (Figure 4.60).

Figure 4.60 For U.S. English, the robotic voice of Windows is named Microsoft Anna.
In the Voice Selection section, choose one of the available TTS voices from the drop-down list or click Settings (if available) to display additional voice properties.

The selected voice speaks the text in the "preview voice" box.
In the Voice Speed section, drag the slider to adjust the voice's rate of speech.
Click Audio Output to set the preferred device for voice playback.
Click OK (or Apply).

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