Voice Recognition

This passage discusses the new technology of voice recognition software.

Lexile Level: 1210L

Categories: Science & Technology

Advances in voice recognition software have been significant in recent years. More and more people are putting aside their keyboards and speaking directly to their computers as they create documents and operate computer applications. Today, when we call a large company, we are more likely to be greeted by a synthesized voice than by an actual human. We can often interact with the computers behind these voices thanks to voice recognition software. Voice recognition software falls into two general categories. The first category is designed for many users utilizing a small number of words. This type of software is most widely used to provide a virtual telephone answering service. The second category of voice recognition software is capable of recognizing a large number of words but must be "trained" by individuals in order to recognize specific voices. This type of software is used in businesses and academic institutions to allow users to transpose their voices into text documents. If advances in voice recognition software continue at the current rate, it may not be long until keyboards are a thing of the past.