Presentation at CSUN Assistive Technology Conference 2017.

Ron Katsuranis. Ray Grott.

A user’s success with Dragon is always questionable. Success is often hindered by the need for extensive training, the burden of remembering a large number of “correct” commands, and frustration with the need to know when to switch between using speech or a mouse. Many “standard” applications and a great number of custom ones are poorly designed with menus, tool bar items, drop-down lists and other objects that are not accessible by keyboard or speech.

The Intag add-on to Dragon (and Windows Speech) addresses these challenges by bringing simplicity and ease-of-use to Dragon speech recognition. Intag automatically places numbers over the Windows desktop, the menus and controls within applications, and on web links. To control the computer by voice, a user simply says the number of the menu, control, or link they wish to access – every program uses the same basic set of commands.

The speech interface appears, as if it is built-into Windows, but, changes the mouse-heavy Graphical User Interface into a Speech-Enabled (Graphical) User Interface. Applications that used to require the time-consuming and expensive scripting of custom voice macros can now be accessed “out of the box.”
Since, it does not change the layout of existing menus and controls, the Intag Speech Interface is immediately familiar to the user, making it simple to learn and intuitive to use. Intag lets you control your computer and all your applications with just five core spoken mouse commands:

• Click # (or just #) e.g., ‘23’ where ‘23’ is the number of the control you wish to access
• Double Click # (or Double #)
• Right Click # (or Right #)
• Control Click #
• Drag # to #

While other Intag commands are available, by using the few commands listed above, a new speech recognition user can begin controlling many applications in minutes without having to learn multiple commands.
(Note: Intag is designed to enhance voice control of the application’s interface, not to substitute for the speech recognition software’s dictation and text editing commands.) Intag doesn’t alter the underlying programs. This means that users can seamlessly switch between using voice, mouse, touchscreen, or keyboard controls. Intag’s numbers can be quickly brought up or hidden by voice, as desired.)

This level of enhanced speech access has begun to remove barriers for people with advanced repetitive strain injuries, limited or no hand use, difficulty learning or memorizing commands, and those without sufficient access to or time for training. People who do not need or desire to dictate text have, nonetheless, used Intag for hands-free command and control.

Fine-Tuning Speech Access

Even Intag can have a difficult time identifying some of the objects on proprietary applications, websites, and Intranet sites. But, it can be customized to make any application or website accessible by speech.

• Intag overlays (My Intags) let a user create numbered tags over static objects on a program’s page or control window, making it accessible with an easy-to-use voice template system that requires no scripting or programming.
• The Intag interface itself can be customized so that any application or website, including those that were too complex to be ‘voice-enabled’ with previous tools such as voice macros, can now be made fully accessible. This customization is programmer-intensive, but, as we continue to make more programs accessible, we will build our internal database that will make future customization faster and easier.

Summary

Intag is a break-through speech-driven interface that lets users choose the most comfortable and user-friendly way to control their computer and all their applications.

2 Comments

  1. Instafollowfast.com on August 15, 2019 at 6:59 pm

    For those with repetitive strain injuries, limited or no hand use, difficulty memorizing commands or little time to train on more difficult speech control software, the new Intag Speech Interface is priceless.

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