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Hands-free switching from Dragon to phone answering
Submitted by paulmf on Sun, 08/03/2008 - 20:04.
I am not able to use my arms and hands whatsoever and I have been using my toes to push the speakerphone button when I want to answer the phone. My disability may not allow me to do that in the future. If I am using Dragon and the phone rings is there any ability to switch to answer the phone hands-free by command. If so what devices do I need.
Thank you to all who answer questions on this forum.
4 Options
4 options immediately come to mind:
1. A fairly pricey but effective option would be a phone system that listens
for the word Answer and you wear a 2nd headset or utilize the built-in
speakerphone.
2. A less pricey option would be to install a software modem phone in your
computer. We do not like this option because we found it to be rather
ineffective, when combined with DNS, in the past but newer technologies may
have come along.
3. Combine KnowBrainer
2007 with NaturallySpeaking and utilize commands to place phone calls.
KnowBrainer includes 4 flavors of phone dialing macros ranging from global
commands like Call IHOP to the ability to select phone numbers from the
Internet and say Call Number or Call Long Distance.
KnowBrainer was 1st commercially released in 1996 but only supported DNS
Professional. Today, KnowBrainer supports all versions of NaturallySpeaking
from DNS Preferred on up and is free to the physically disabled.
4. Consider switching over to a VoIP system like Skype so that you can
use the same microphone that you use in NaturallySpeaking as your telephone.
Skype also costs considerably less than a standard analog phone line and Skype
is already supported by KnowBrainer. Here's an example: Someone calls (Skype’s)
you while you are dictating and you decide to take the call. All you have to do
is say Answer and KnowBrainer will put your microphone in sleep mode
(so that you can wake up back up verbally) and click the Answer button.
It's just as easy as that and you even have the option of using both
simultaneously.
Obviously we prefer options #3 and #4, which explains why we only have limited information
available on option #1 and #2. To find out more about KnowBrainer and how to
qualify for your NFR copy (not for resale) click What is
KnowBrainer PDF file.
Lunis
Orcutt - Developer of KnowBrainer
&
Host of the
http://www.TheMicrophoneStore.com
A Nuance Gold Certified Endorsed Dragon
NaturallySpeaking Partner/Trainer
ALWAYS Ask If Your Speech Recognition Partner Is
Nuance Certified
KnowBrainer wrote: 4
4 options immediately come to mind:
1. A fairly pricey but effective option would be a phone system that listens
for the word Answer and you wear a 2nd headset or utilize the built-in
speakerphone.
2. A less pricey option would be to install a software modem phone in your
computer. We do not like this option because we found it to be rather
ineffective, when combined with DNS, in the past but newer technologies may
have come along.
I've tried option #2 and found it to be less than satisfactory. Wearing two headsets is a complete pain in the backside. Option #1 is a complete waste of thought in my opinion.
3. Combine KnowBrainer
2007 with NaturallySpeaking and utilize commands to place phone calls.
KnowBrainer includes 4 flavors of phone dialing macros ranging from global
commands like Call IHOP to the ability to select phone numbers from the
Internet and say Call Number or Call Long Distance.
KnowBrainer was 1st commercially released in 1996 but only supported DNS
Professional. Today, KnowBrainer supports all versions of NaturallySpeaking
from DNS Preferred on up and is free to the physically disabled.
So how does he get this to work? Hardware has to be involved somewhere to dial a phone.
4. Consider switching over to a VoIP system like Skype so that you can
use the same microphone that you use in NaturallySpeaking as your telephone.
Skype also costs considerably less than a standard analog phone line and Skype
is already supported by KnowBrainer. Here's an example: Someone calls (Skype’s)
you while you are dictating and you decide to take the call. All you have to do
is say Answer and KnowBrainer will put your microphone in sleep mode
(so that you can wake up back up verbally) and click the Answer button.
It's just as easy as that and you even have the option of using both
simultaneously.
Maybe a bit better if Skype is viable as an option. This one will require a LOT of ram and a LOT of speed to work right as well as a pretty good broadband connection. My Skype experience has been way less than satisfactory. The VOIP phones I've used and talked to people through are usually pretty bad though "state of the art" from what I'm told.
I think the solution doesn't exist at this time. I would like to have something like this as well, but I've not found something I can afford that will do this.
I think could be an interesting discussion thread.
Skype Option 4 thoughts
Tcat.net Training...Remembered (TM)
Skype has changed quite a bit. I'm not a Skype cheerleader, and I DO use it a fair amount. My observations:
The PC software (windows) is always ahead of the Mac (OS X) software.
The performance varies (a great deal) depending on the structure of your ISP. The cable based ISP in MX is really sub-optimal for Skype, while the phone companies DSL in the same part of Baja is wonderful. They only run the DSL part to a mini-head, then ATM all the way. So in my experiences, it is far less about needing a heavy CPU and RAM, and much more about the ISP you have.
I'm doing just fine with Skype this week in Huntsville, AL. When things go south with my across the pond stuff, it's almost always "the last mile (kilo?)" that is either dropping packets or jitter issues.
My 2 cents is try option 4 (KnowBrainer software). It may Not be in your best interests to try the latest Skype software (beta or release)... and before you go to ANY VoIP solution, look for a bandwidth test site that includes at least a guess about VoIP quality.
I'm certainly no expert on SR (been trying since the hardware based Covaid cards of the late 80's)... And on this whole network thingie, yes I am an expert, danke. Your provider's network design has a ton of impact on your success or lack of.
HTH
Tcat
By Utilizing Your Existing Equipment and Not Paying a Dime
We wouldn't recommend Skype as a business phone solution (although a growing number of businesses swear by it) but we were reasonably pleased with its performance for typical high-speed consumer Internet use. We found dropouts to be fairly rare but VoIP doesn't work 100% of the time while landline telephones hardly ever go down. Our outgoing line and incoming fax line is VoIP and it seems to work about 99+% of the time so we look at it this as a possible inexpensive option because Skype costs considerably less than a standard land line.
So how does he get this to work? Hardware has to be involved somewhere to dial a phone.
This capability has been built into KnowBrainer since 1996 and the best part of this technology is that KnowBrainer uses your existing hardware. Nearly every computer has a built-in modem. All you have to do is add a $3 splitter to any phone jack and a $2 standard telephone cable. KnowBrainer takes care of the rest with 4 different flavors of dialing commands ranging from global phone calls like “Call Pizza Perfect” to dialing out of Outlook (all 4 fields) like “Call 3rd Number” to dialing a selected phone number. The following is a step-by-step on how KnowBrainer would make a long-distance call from a search of the Internet Yellow Pages when you select a phone number verbally or physically (other KnowBrainer calling commands are completely hands-free):
The name of the KnowBrainer command is “Call Long-distance”
1. When you say “Call Long-distance” KnowBrainer places your microphone in Sleep Mode (for obvious reasons)
2. KnowBrainer copies the selected phone number to the clipboard
3. KnowBrainer opens Windows XP or Vista Dialer
4. KnowBrainer types a 1 (for long distance) and pastes the contents of the clipboard (the phone number) into the dialing box
5. KnowBrainer presses the Dial button, waits 7 seconds and closes Windows Dialer (to prevent splitting the signal volume).
All you have to do is pick up the telephone receiver (which KnowBrainer even verbally prompts you for by saying “pickup receiver”) or use a mouth stick to click the speakerphone button. This may not be ideally what you are looking for but it is completely free and works with your existing equipment. This is precisely the reason why KnowBrainer was created and why we left the music business in 1993. Other KnowBrainer dialing commands include “Call Number” (local dialing) and global dialing commands. For example, to call us all you have to do is say “Call KnowBrainer”. This KnowBrainer Advanced-Scripting listing command is designed to be edited by the end-user so that you can add as many destinations as you want. Our dialing command has approximately 50 numbers of which 5 go to our various partners with the other 45 going to our favorite restaurants which probably gives you some idea our value system
Lunis
Orcutt - Developer of KnowBrainer
hands free
Thank you to all for your ideas and input.
All of the solutions have partial answers to my needs however in an ideal world I could answer the phone and make calls out without using my hands or mouthstick.
Bluetooth cell phones can be placed on auto answer but to phone out you need to push a button because the cell phone will automatically go into a sleep mode to conserve battery charge. I am currently using a Plantronics CS 50 for voice-recognition and I could certainly use
Lunis's wonderful software with built-in commands to call out but it requires the use of hands.
I guess I was hoping that someone who is using voice recognition had a method of hands-free phone usage.
I will continue to investigate options.
Thank you to all.
paulmf wrote: I guess I was
I guess I was hoping that someone who is using voice recognition had a method of hands-free phone usage.
I will continue to investigate options.
Thank you to all.
Should you come across an answer to this, I would be very interested and hope that you let us all know what you found!
handsfree phone
http://www.microphones.com/prodpage.cfm?URLID=2523 might do the job it does work well but you will need the long life battery!
they are doing an upgrade to vonage so give them a call
see http://www.vonage-forum.com/article26.html
their website is in the upgrade mode so has no info today
good luck
tom
We Don't Recommend the ArialPhone
We and many other speech recognition experts found the ArialPhone to be unacceptable for speech recognition and although we're not certain, we strongly suspect that the ArialPhone has been discontinued. The manufacturer website www.arialphone.com/ says that the ArialPhone is being updated but that was over 3 years ago and the website barely qualifies as a webpage so if you decide to purchase this product, make sure it's returnable without restock fees because we believe that New World Creations (WWW.MICROPHONES.COM) charges a 20% restock fee for returned opened items and a 15% restock fee on unopened items. Other vendors, such as http://www.KnowBrainer.com, do not require restock fees.
Lunis Orcutt - Developer of KnowBrainer &
Host of the http://www.TheMicrophoneStore.com
A Nuance Gold Certified Endorsed Dragon NaturallySpeaking Partner/Trainer
ALWAYS Ask If Your Speech Recognition Partner Is Nuance Certified
arialphone
I used arialphone for years and it is remarkably good.
tom
Chuck Renquist once reviewed it favorably too but that was a long time ago
Re: the ArialPhone system
I used arialphone for years and it is remarkably good.
tom
Chuck Renquist once reviewed it favorably too but that was a long time ago
I worked with ArialPhone for a couple of years. They approached me at SpeechTEK in New York in August of 2000 and wanted my blessing to be able to work with Lernout & Hauspie in bringing this particular microphone into the speech recognition arena. Unfortunately, due to a number of marketing blunders and the length of time that it required to go from prototype to final version killed ArialPhone in the long run. I haven't been in touch with these folks in a very long time and I'm virtually certain that there has not been any significant improvement in the technology even if they still exist.
However, and just FYI, the biggest advantage of the ArialPhone was that it came with software that not only allowed you to switch from dictation using Dragon NaturallySpeaking to answering the telephone completely by voice command, it also allowed you to dial any number in your address book and automatically turned off DNS while you were answering the phone or making phone calls completely done by voice with TTS feedback as to what action was being performed. He even asked you if the number that you wanted to dial was correct and waited for your response.
From a functionality standpoint for someone who cannot use their hands, there has been nothing like the ArialPhone total functionality as a hands-free capable system with the ability to switch back and forth between dictation and using the phone. While the hardware wasn't the absolute best, the software had no peers, and there still is no equivalent hardware/software that even comes close to what the ArialPhone system could do for someone who requires total hands free access. In addition, it work completely with Hall to control pretty much anything in your home by voice.
In short, in terms of overall functionality something like the ArialPhone system with the extended battery (eight hours) would be ideal under this condition. However, I think it's more or less dead even if they still are selling units.
Chuck Runquist
Former Dragon NaturallySpeaking SDK & Senior Technical Solutions PM for DNS
In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield. - Warren Buffet
paulmf wrote: I am not able
I am not able to use my arms and hands whatsoever and I have been using my toes to push the speakerphone button when I want to answer the phone. My disability may not allow me to do that in the future. If I am using Dragon and the phone rings is there any ability to switch to answer the phone hands-free by command. If so what devices do I need.
Thank you to all who answer questions on this forum.
I have read the replies to date and I would like to tell you what I use. I have multiple sclerosis and now have only limited use of my right hand, so some combination of NaturallySpeaking and access to a telephone has been very important for me.
I have for several years used a voice modem to make and receive calls. I've done this since the days of DragonDictate and my old ISA serial voice modem. So, I've used several configurations. At this moment I'm using a software-based Win modem and it is satisfactory. I would recommend even a much older external serial modem or experimenting with anything new that can be returned if not suitable. I have plugged into this modem a very cheap desktop microphone and cheap separate speaker. I can live with the clutter.
The software that came with the modem, FaxTalk Communicator, can be operated by voice commands from, for example, NaturallySpeaking 8 Preferred. I use Vocola to create my own voice macros for the purpose but one may use whatever approach works, of course. Other software for the voice modem can be used but I've not done much other experimenting with that of late.
I most often use Skype for outgoing telephone calls. Others are apparently experiencing difficulties with Skype but it's been working well enough for me in Canada. In any case, it does provide better sound quality for placing calls and leaves free my home phone line. This is a case of using whatever seems to work best.
I should tell you that previously I had the voice modem arranged somewhat differently. Prior to using a USB soundcard I was using both a separate soundcard and the motherboard sound. I know this is not recommended but it worked pretty well. I used to patch cable to route the modem speaker output to be motherboard line level input and was able to hear incoming calls to the headset I use for NaturallySpeaking. The separate soundcard was used for the microphone input from my headset for the purpose of speech recognition. That's a bit complicated but it did work. I explain this only to illustrate that there are ways to do things that don't necessarily involve spending a lot of money. I do prefer the USB soundcard (which performs very well for NaturallySpeaking) and my present setup seems best.
So, entirely by voice I can make and receive telephone calls. If you would like more information I can provide it.
Regards
Bruce