Voice recognition software now feasible

Tech Talk. By Tom Savel, MD, AMNews contributor. Jan. 29, 2001.

So, what's the scoop with voice recognition software? Why hasn't it caught on like wildfire in clinical practices? Let me give you a brief overview of some of the key issues involved.

Voice recognition technology lets you speak into your computer's microphone and have "correct" words generated in, for example, Microsoft Word. Over the years, the technology has improved drastically. Thanks to the development of what's known as "continuous speech recognition technology," gone are the days when you had to pause after each word.

Currently available voice recognition software packages allow you not only to dictate into your computer, but to actually control your computer with your voice. For example, you can say, "Open Microsoft Excel," and then "Open file 'patientlist.doc.' " You can even navigate through the Internet with this software. Clearly, this feature has a lot of potential.

Thanks to another technological advance called natural language recognition, you have the ability during your dictation to say, for example, "Boldface the last sentence," or even, "Go back one sentence and delete the first word."

There are several different packages on the market. Some of the most popular programs are made by IBM and Lernout and Hauspie. Those who are familiar with the software by Dragon Systems may know it is now a part of Lernout and Hauspie. The software packages range in price from less than $100 to more than $1,000. I have found (as did CNET.com) that the IBM product had the best combination of price and performance. [...]