Voice recognition software—Nuance Dragon naturally speaking
Christine Poulter · Occupational Medicine · 2019
Many people have a recollection of trying voice recognition software some time ago when the computer had to be trained to your voice. It required much persistence and training, so many people gave up. However, in the same way that smartphones have evolved so has voice recognition. Modern voice recognition has been around since the early 1970s, although by 1985, computers could still only reliably recognize around a thousand words. Move forward to 1997 when voice recognition software was launched using natural speech. Since then, technology has advanced significantly and that means voice recognition is now virtually plug and play, no longer requiring training. Nuance is the market leader in this technology. Voice recognition can be used to write Word documents, complete Excel spreadsheets (the home version does not add text directly to Excel) and write emails. The medical version is also compatible with medical electronic records. It is possible to use Dragon Professional with most occupational health software systems. A typical occupational health report is likely to be between 700 and 1400 words with an average typing speed of 30 words per minute. One report will take around 30–40 min which excludes thinking and research time, reviewing and corrections. Using voice recognition software, talking time is likely to be from 100 to 150 words per minute so report production time will be cut by two thirds. Dragon Professional edition can handle transcribing of voice dictation freeing up valuable administration time, however, the home edition does not have this feature. Once installed, and without any training of the software required, Dragon software is good to go. Stopping to think for a moment before you dictate your sentence will produce a more natural sentence. Dictation is fluid with simple commands such as full stop, comma, new line and new paragraph. Most people prefer the privacy of a single office to use voice recognition; however, it is still possible to use the software in an open-plan office, provided that the dictation is not confidential. It is possible to speak in a very quiet voice and in the same way people become accustomed to other people hearing phone conversations, it is also possible to dictate many emails or other documents in open-plan offices. Most laptops come with built-in microphones which may be perfectly adequate. Using the software in an open-plan office using a high-quality noise-cancelling unidirectional microphone will, however, provide the best results. Bluetooth connections are recommended as it can be easy to forget to disconnect the headset when you get up to walk away from your computer. Dragon has stopped supporting its product for Mac. The product still works with the latest edition of Mac software; however, as Siri technology advances, there is less need for products such as Dragon voice recognition on a Mac. Installation can take several hours on a shared computer and is likely to require technical support to install on a protected computer. Once installed, it can be used immediately. One of my favourite features of Dragon is that it can spell. It is a very useful tool for anyone with dyslexia. The software is particularly useful for individuals with upper limb conditions such as arthritis of the fingers. Careful proof-reading is still required as Dragon may produce some random words while learning your voice and the most common error I come across is confusing the word now for the word not, which, in occupational health terms changes the meaning of whether or not someone is fit to work significantly. Dragon for home RRP £139.99 inc VAT. This version allows the voice to text in Word but not transcription. Dragon Professional RRP £349.99 inc VAT. This version is for a single user and facilitates voice transcription. Dragon Professional for group use RRP £549.99 inc VAT. This version is also for a single user and allows the voice profile to be kept on a server so that the information will transfer between different computers. There is an additional £69 a year per person for this feature which also includes ongoing upgrades for new versions at no further cost. Nuance requests an enquiry to quote for Dragon Medical and this appears to be in the region of £1499. EMIS users will require this version. Dragon Anywhere App is a subscription-based product allowing you to transport the software to any device at £10.90 per month. A high-quality unidirectional mic, such as Nuance power mic 111, has an RRP of £222.00 inc VAT or the Philips SpeechMike LFH3500 in the region of £234.00. Suggested place to purchase is directly through Nuance who offer an excellent after-sales service. Any of these software options can be purchased directly via Nuance at https://shop.nuance.co.uk and Dragon Professional from Posturite, both companies are often preferred suppliers to larger organizations. Dragon Professional is also available from Amazon. For best results, 8 GB of RAM is recommended. Using the speak back feature is probably the easiest way to proof-read your document as any anomalies will be highlighted this way. Speak back is available on all PCs and Mac computers regardless of whether or not voice recognition is installed. I highly recommend this application as a valuable time saver for any occupational health paperwork.