Dragon Software & Solutions
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Recommended UsesWho should use speech recognition technology?
Remember when we were told that computers were going to make our lives simpler, and free up huge chunks of leisure time? So, why does it seem that you are working harder, with more time on the keyboard? (or browsing the Web!) Voice recognition software can increase your productivity while decreasing the strain on your wrists and forearms. Speech recognition software has improved to the point where it can be useful for anyone who uses the keyboard on a regular basis. Dragon lets you enter text faster than anyone can type. There are some people who will find Dragon especially valuable, but when you come right down to it, Dragon is great for anyone who works on a computer! People who have avoided computers and generating correspondence because they are poor typists can now drastically increase their productivity with Dragon. Dragon will increase productivity in the workplace as it prevents repetitive strain injury from keyboard overuse. Now, speaking to your computer is much faster and easier than typing! Who is a good candidate for voice recognition software? To be successful with Dragon, you should most importantly be motivated to use it. In all honesty, despite all the improvements in this technology, this is not plug-and-play software. Using a new software program is like learning a new language. It takes practice, dedication, and regular use to become proficient. This is not a program that works perfectly without any effort from you -- specific verbal commands must be learned in order to control the computer, and to format, edit, and correct text created. The command structure is well developed, and very powerful and flexible, as well as being relatively simple. Please see our Training page for more information on how we can help you through the learning curve, and help you get the most out of Dragon. In general, the more comfortable you are with computers, and the more experience you have with them, the more likely it is that Dragon will work well for you. Computer programmers generally do very well, picking up the program very quickly. Accents are not a problem, as long as your speech is clear, and follows standard English grammar rules. If as a non-native speaker, and you drop articles from your speech, Dragon will not fill in the gaps for you. Slurred speech experienced with certain disabilities may present a problem. Call, and in the course of a phone conversation we can generally get a sense of how likely you are to succeed. Cognitive impairments can be a problem, in that the most successful users are able to compose their dictation and speak it clearly, while simultaneously using editing and formatting commands. On the other hand, dyslexics benefit greatly from using Dragon - it does the spelling for you! In addition to this obvious benefit to those with dyslexia and related issues, it is becoming clear that using Dragon can also improve reading ability. We have documented a FIVE GRADE LEVEL improvement in reading ability after only seven months use of Dragon in an 8th grade student. Uses in rehabilitation and professional situations: Injured and disabled persons: With increased time on the computer, the added pressures from corporate downsizing, and the need to get more done, we are seeing an alarming rise in repetitive strain injuries. Tendinitis, myofascitis and carpal tunnel syndrome can be merely annoying, or can threaten your ability to earn a living. Using Dragon as a tool to decrease the number of keystrokes entered can be a vital portion of a plan to remain in your chosen career without incurring further injury, often while increasing productivity. If you spend over four hours a day on the computer, you may be at risk for developing repetitive strain injury, even though you have no symptoms currently. Using Dragon can help prevent development of repetitive strain injury. Dragon is the most versatile and powerful speech recognition technology on the market. You can use voice, the mouse, and the keyboard simultaneously and interchangeably to enter text and control Windows applications. Hands-free operation is now a reality. You can add your own custom vocabulary words or phrases quickly and easily. Control new Windows applications automatically. Use e-mail and browse the Internet. Dragon Professional has advanced macro scripting tools so you can control complex operations completely by voice. By using Dragon, injured workers can give their hands a chance to heal while they keep working. Arthritis in the hands and fingers is a common and crippling condition. It can make simple typing painful, difficult, and a task to be avoided. Dragon is recommended as an alternative to typing and mouse use for those with arthritis. Dragon has been used by paraplegics, quadriplegics, and other individuals with significant disability to enable computer use. Abnormal speech patterns are not a problem-- Dragon learns to recognize your individual speech patterns, whether slurred, distorted, or accented. Occupational Health Staff and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors: 1stVoice has a wealth of experience in the workers compensation area. We can help craft solutions that will create a "win-win" situation for employers, workers, and insurers. By using Dragon to keep an injured worker in their pre-injury occupation, vocational rehabilitation costs are kept low. Adding Dragon to the workstation is the fastest way to get a worker with modified work restrictions back on the job! There is increasing awareness of people with disabilities, and as a result of the Americans with Disabilities Act employers are now more sensitive to the needs of disabled workers. Dragon can be used to provide "reasonable accommodation" for disabled workers, eliminating the need for more costly or time-consuming solutions, and reducing the potential for litigation. 1stVoice is a California State Price Schedule vendor, which allows rehabilitation professionals from California to purchase hardware and software from 1stVoice more easily. Office and computer professionals, doctors and lawyers: With the recent advances in voice recognition software, coupled with today's faster computers, Dragon is no longer merely a curiosity. It is a tool to be used by everyone to greatly increase productivity, by eliminating the routine work of typing. Try typing "deoxyribonucleic acid" ten times fast. See how many errors you make. With Dragon, if you can say it, the software will spell it correctly every time! This is a real plus for medical and scientific documents or any document with specialized or complex terminology. Doctors and lawyers can reduce their transcription costs by using Dragon to create memos and reports by voice. The delay inherent in using transcription services is eliminated. Report templates can be called up with a simple voice commands, ready for completion, also by voice with Dragon. Dragon proves its worth when there is a report that just has to get out, but the transcriptionist is off on vacation, or backed up. The average physician in the US spends $1200 per month on transcription costs. At that rate, your return on investment using Dragon is a matter of several short months. Administrative assistants can use Dragon to quickly send memos and faxes by voice, or create and edit any kind of document. With Dragon, your hands are free to shuffle papers while your voice does the computer entry! CAD professionals can use the mouse for precise drawing operations, while using voice to control menu selections and Windows operations with Dragon. This true multitasking can be faster and easier than traditional mouse and keyboard use! |