How Speech-to-Text Applications Help Struggling Writers

Speech recognition technology through speech-to-text applications allows computers or other smart devices to take spoken audio, interpret it and generate text from it. But how do computers understand human speech? The short answer is – the wonder of signal processing.

Speech is a series of sound waves created by our vocal chords. These sound waves will be processed by a recording microphone, and then converted into an electrical signal. The signal is then read using advanced signal processing technologies, isolating syllables and words, and later translated by speech-to-text applications.

This is how intelligent software has become throughout the years and it will still improve in the coming generations.

Over time, the computer can learn to understand speech from experience, thanks to incredible recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning. But signal processing is what makes it all possible.

So, what are the benefits of speech-to-text applications? Why, exactly, do we need computers to understand our speech when typing is usually faster? How does it improve writing skills when you are simply dictating?

Here are some important ways in which speech recognition technology plays a vital role in people’s lives, most especially to struggling writers.

First let’s define struggling writers.

Struggling Writers Defined

There are some of us who are more comfortable at expressing their thought through speaking. They surely have great ideas but sometimes, it’s hard for them to write them down, needing to follow the rules of writing. It’s just so stressful for them.

It doesn’t mean, though, that speech-to-text applications are meant to correct your grammar or writing structure. It simply allows you to have a clear view of your written thoughts, which you can later correct. If you are a writer like me, you’ll know for certain, how difficult it is to proofread your own work. These apps can write your thoughts for you while you manually do the proofreading part.

We can also define struggling writers as people who are physically hard up on writing. These are those who suffer from back or hand injuries and find writing almost impossible.

We can also define them as those who have handicaps like blindness.

Other Populations that may benefit from speech recognition technologies for learning include users with:

• Learning disabilities, including dyslexia and dysgraphia
• Repetitive strain injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
• Poor or limited motor skills
• Limited English Language

Benefits of Using Speech-to-Text Applications

1. Enabling Hands Free Technology

When your eyes and hands are busy, such as when you’re driving, speech is incredibly useful. This is also helpful to those who have injured backs and hands and couldn’t afford to type or write.

2. Boosted Writing Speed

The average person types at a speed of 38 to 40 words per minute. When you replace this traditional method with a mobile or PC transcription app to speak into, you’ll be able to boost this speed by nearly 4 times or an average of 150 words per minute.

3. Increased Mobility

Using speech-to-text applications software can open up new doors in terms of creative work spaces, and greatly decreases the amount of time spent sitting. Roam around your home, the office or a park and have the freedom to record your thoughts and memos with greater accuracy.

4. Heightened Accuracy

Speaking directly into an application that can transcribe your words into text for you will drastically improve the accuracy of your documents. For a normal typist, about 8 out of 100 words will be spelled incorrectly and have to be fixed. By cutting out the time you’ll need to spend making corrections, you’ll be free to focus on the task at hand.

5. Enhanced Focus

By using speech-to-text applications, you’ll find that your overall focus will get better as well. Not only is it easier to concentrate on the subject you’re speaking about, your hands will be freed up to multitask with doing mindless chores, exercising, exploring the outdoors, and more.

3. Better Writing Voice

Too often during writing, we get hung up on the little things. “Does this flow make sense?” “Does the style and voice sound right, or does it feel too robotic?” When speaking directly into a mic, it instantly becomes easier to talk as a real person, and develop a distinguishable voice that is conversational and approachable.

4. Diminished Injury

Repetitive motion injuries, eye strain, back pain; these are only a few of the life-altering injuries that are easily sustained when frequently typing on the computer. By adopting a mobile transcription application, you can reduce the likelihood that you’ll develop back/neck problems, carpal tunnel, eye strain and more.

5. Improved Writing Abilities

Another key benefit of speech recognition technologies is the error correction process. Because no speech recognition product is completely accurate, it requires users to check the accuracy of each word uttered as sentences are being dictated.

With all these benefits, it’s hard to neglect the usefulness of speech-to-text applications in writing.

There are already a lot of software that are based on this function. One of the best software you can find in the market today is Nuance Dragon Speech Recognition Software.

What is Nuance Dragon Speech Recognition Software?

Nuance is a leading provider of speech, imaging and customer interaction solutions for businesses and consumers around the world.

Nuance Dragon allows users to not only dictate but also control popular applications on their computers just by using their voice. It is sophisticated voice recognition software that provides a high level of accuracy. Like other voice recognition software, it gets increasingly accurate as it becomes familiar with your voice, your accent and your way of speaking.

However, this software doesn’t need extensive training to familiarize itself with your voice and speech patterns, as is sometimes the case with other software packages. Once you have all of your preferences and settings in place, this software achieves impressive accuracy out of the box.

You can record your voice or someone else’s and have it transcribed by your computer. You can customize the software to open, close and operate programs like Word and Excel on command. It has an impressive feature package and functionality, and it is also legally certified as a tool for professionals with disabilities.

If you like to try this product, check prices here.