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Articles by Kevin Jackson

A Perfect Fit: Wearables and Speech

The computer industry has always been driven by the synergistic competition between hardware and software. As our society conceives of new ways of using computers, code jockeys create ever more capable and complicated software to accomplish the task. Software performance demands in turn challenge hardware developers and designers. Hardware improvements continue the cycle by inciting even more demands from society. Recent improvements in speech recognition software continue this contest in the desktop world. For the wearable computer platform, however, these improvements herald a quantum leap in usability. For the first time in the nearly 40 year history of "wearable" computers, reality can meet society's expectations. This synergy bodes well for the growth of this once nascent segment.

Speech Lets Users Wear Computers

Developments in speech technology and voice recognition are especially meaningful to wearable computer applications. Voice is a natural output medium for people and relieves restrictions caused by keyboard and pointing devices. Hand-free operations are currently possible for limited applications, and more robust systems are currently being tested. Voice can be used for computer control or for data dictation. Verbal reports could also be given and immediately transcribed for printed display directly entered into a database.