The simplest way to control a computer using your voice. Program for controlling a computer with your voice

One of the main goals of the Android operating system is to make device management as simple and understandable as possible. With each update, more and more new features appear that significantly simplify use. One such feature is Android voice control.

Android voice control

Android voice control is an innovative technology with which you can control the device without unnecessary manipulation, but only with your voice. This feature is under active development and improvement.

Ok, Google on Android makes it possible to use the device more efficiently. You can perform many functions with your voice and get high-quality results. For example, search for the necessary information, turn on/off applications, and even type text. To date, this development is not ideal and includes various shortcomings.

All commands that can be carried out using voice control are divided into two groups.

Namely:

1. control of the functions of the device itself - if you want to listen to music, then just say “Play playlist”, if you want to turn on the alarm, then say the phrase “Wake me up at such and such a time” and so on
2. search for information - using a voice request you can find out, for example, the weather, see the score of the game of your favorite team, find the words of a song, and so on

But unfortunately, there are some limitations in the operation of voice control. Sometimes you may not be able to obtain information for unsolicited requests. For example, you are interested in the schedule of shows in Kyiv cinemas, and you will receive an answer without any problems, but if you ask the same request, but regarding a smaller city, then problems may arise and you may encounter a lack of information.

How to enable voice control

In order to use voice control Ok, Google, you need a constant connection to the Internet. In limited sizes, the application can work without the Internet, but the quality of voice recognition will be very poor and using the function will be almost impossible.

1. install the Google application, if you already have it installed, then make sure that it is the latest version
2. go to the Google app
3. in the upper left corner click the icon that looks like three horizontal lines
4. then go to “ Settings»
5. choose " Voice search»
6. after - " Recognition Ok, Google" or " On any screen»

On some devices, voice recognition is available in apps other than the Google app. To do this, in the Google program, click:

1. « Settings»
2. Further - " Applications" There you will see a list of programs in which you can use Ok, Google

How to set up voice control

The Ok, Google function is always active provided that you are running the Google application or Google Chrome. After activation, the system will record your voice and there should be no problems with recognition in the future. To make a request, just say the phrase Ok, Google and formulate a question or command.

How to turn off voice control

Disabling Ok, Google is no more difficult than enabling it. To do this you need to do the following:

1. go to the Google app
2. in the upper left corner there is an icon that looks like three horizontal lines
3. choose " Voice search»
4. Further " Recognition Ok, Google»
5. remove the checkbox - " On any screen" or " Always on»

Voice commands

Ok, Google recognizes many different commands. There is no specific list of queries to be executed, since they are different for each user.

Here is a small list of commands that can be performed using voice control:

• call anyone from your contact list
• send text message
• send an email
• post on social networks
• to track the package
• launch the application
• find out the weather
• get directions to your destination
• find a place, company, establishment
• translate text from one language to another
• define a song and so on

Voice control does not work. What could be the reasons and how to fix it?

Make sure voice control is active: " Settings» - « Voice search» - « Recognition Okay, Google" Check the box - " From the Google app" An internet connection is also required for voice control to work properly. Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi or mobile internet. Try rebooting your device.

Even before the release of the Cortana interface for Windows 10, which is at the stage of development, testing and debugging, users tried to organize voice control of the computer. We’ll talk about how such a function can be implemented in Windows released before 10 in today’s article.

Cortana

Cortana is an AI voice assistant developed by Microsoft for Windows 10, Phone and Android with further distribution of the project to XBox and iOS. It replaces the classic search bar and performs many actions, primarily related to searching for information and system commands, receiving them from the user in the form of voice commands. Deep integration into Windows 10, the absence of the Russian language (for now), the collection of virtually all information about the user with sending to Microsoft servers, and the lack of a final version do not allow most users to get full voice control of their own computer.

In addition to Cortana, there are many applications that allow you to control your PC through the user’s voice commands. Let's take a look at the most common products for solving this problem in Windows 7 and 10.

Type

The application occupies a leading position among Russian-speaking users who want to control the computer via voice. The utility will easily replace a significant part of Cortana’s functions on Windows 10, and on the “seven” it will add a function that is often demonstrated in films where people control computers using their voice.

Before starting work, we create an account and come up with a key phrase, upon hearing which the application will be activated. Then we set a voice command to control the computer or perform a certain action and assign an operation to it (launching an application, going to a specified website). In the window for editing created commands, it becomes possible to set the parameters with which the application will be launched and specify the launch mode (full screen, windowed).

The functionality of the utility is very limited, and the interface is far from the Metro style implemented in Windows 10. Full voice control of a PC using Typle cannot be implemented: it only supports opening files, applications (with arguments) and following predefined links. There is even no support for controlling the player (pause, play the next track).

Speaker

• taking screenshots;
• switching keyboard layout;
• shutting down Windows 7;
• launching the application;
• opening a file.

The process of reading and recognizing information received by the microphone starts after pressing a given key (it is better to choose the button that you use least rarely to avoid false positives of the program). It takes quite a lot of time to process, recognize speech and execute a command - 5 or more seconds, which is what you have to pay for the cheapness. Keywords are specified by text, not words, so the recognized speech is compared with the entered text, which is far from ideal. There is no player control in the application.

Gorynych

The developers of a software package for managing a computer with Windows 7 and 10 are the first domestic team to release an application for solving this kind of problem. The core of the application is the Western “Dragon Dictate”, where a domestic software module for Russian speech recognition was introduced.

What geek doesn't dream of controlling a computer from the couch using just gestures and voice commands? Oddly enough, but this is already possible. And in the very near future, every second person will wave his hands in front of the monitor. The article discusses several methods and immediate prospects.

Voice control on Windows

Let's start with free software that allows you to control your computer using Russian speech. It will be possible to persuade him to open programs, perform some actions, and so on. And your hands will be free for more important things.

Type

This program is the leader among programs that allow you to command a computer in your native Russian language. After installation, you will need to create a user and come up with a keyword like “Ok, Windows”, although we are advised to use the word “Open”. This is where we start talking, a familiar implementation in Google Glasses exists.

Then we select commands for the user. You can only add the launch of some programs, and when you click, you can additionally select a program and add an argument. Perhaps if you add something to the launch of the program, there will be actions. But in general, the average user will not be able to fully control the computer, no pauses or next track, just start and start.

Gesture control on a computer

Ever since the advent of the PlayStation®Eye Camera and kinect, people have wanted the same features on their computer. Later, Kinect was even sold to developers, but such a product was not announced for the general user. And there is even news that Kinect 2.0 with Xbox One will not work on a computer, but a special version of Kinect will be released for PC. True, without the appropriate software it is of little use. So let's move on to the software itself.

The most popular and accessible way to control gestures is the Flutter program and the corresponding Chrome extension. Almost any webcam will work with this program.

Quite a few functions, but they work very well. We can pause and continue showing our palm. Switch tracks or videos left or right, depending on where you point your finger. The program works in PowerPoint, VLC, Winamp, iTunes, YouTube and several other services that few people use.

For proper operation, it is advisable to be at a distance from the webcam, but not at random. Lying down turns out to be much less controllable than sitting upright. Personally, I only use it on YouTube when my hands are dirty, it’s quite convenient or when you’re lying down. There have been no random movements yet. But there are still mistakes when you just sit and wave your hands in front of the monitor like a complete idiot.

Surely Flutter will soon receive full support for Chrome, because the startup was bought by Google in October 2013.

Leap Motion

Let's move on from software to devices. Leap Motion inspires confidence with its small size and amount of potential. This thing detects the user's hands, or rather, even each finger. Your own store with a bunch of applications and games doesn’t let you get bored. And most importantly, it is already on sale and costs some 5,000 rubles. Not much for such magic.

But, in fact, there are many disadvantages here. There were discussions on the hub and even the opinion of one of the users. You should always keep your hands with your wrist up over the device, do you think it’s easy? Hold for 5 minutes.

As for the applications, there is also a big minus that all the free ones are buggy and crash. And the games are a bunch of incomprehensible LSD trips. And it’s inconvenient to control, accuracy plays out in the opposite direction, and every wrong hand movement leads to an unforeseen consequence.

And the driver for Leap Motion itself will eat up almost all your resources on your computer. But if this doesn’t stop you, then buy, as always, at the office. website. It's even in Russian.

DUO 3D

Similar technology from Russian developers also exists. They simply took two Eye Cameras, wrote software and started a company on Kickstarter. Unfortunately, it was a failure. We raised $62,000 out of $110,000 planned. It’s a shame, especially since they won’t even receive this money, since everything needs to be collected for it to arrive.

Now the devices are even freely available, but we hope that such developments of our people will not just disappear.

Myo

Come on, who hasn't heard of Myo. A bracelet that detects gestures not using a camera, like its competitors, but by recognizing muscle movements. The beautiful video and amazing features captivated everyone, even me. As soon as the bracelet is on sale, the applications and all the integrations will be known, reviews will appear, then I will buy this wonderful thing.

Now the bracelet can be pre-ordered for $150, but I'm afraid to get the raw version.

Computer control from a web camera on laptops

Nowadays, laptop makers love to experiment with gesture controls. The PointGrab company has made progress in this topic; their concept art is quite optimistic.

Acer uses the products of this company. And Lenovo will make its own Motion Control 2.0 based on these developments.

And in September 2013, Intel announced new laptops with voice control, gesture control, and touch, and before that in the summer the company acquired the Israeli startup Omek.

Let's see what comes of all this. Lately I have had the eternal feeling that the future is just around the corner and has been for a couple of years now. Can you supplement my material with your knowledge? Are there any other devices or methods that are also worth mentioning?

Most often, when working on a personal computer, we have to type large texts. Sitting directly in front of the monitor, we lose a lot of time, although we could do some housework.

Last century

Let's figure out what voice control of a computer is. Let's make some analogy. Previously, and even now, a very common way to “free your hands” from the computer while working was to hire another employee - a stenographer or secretary. However, few people know that you can avoid unnecessary expenses by installing a number of programs and utilities on your personal computer that allow you to voice control your computer in Russian.

With the advent of such software products as Gorynych and WebSpeach, you can forget about how long you had to sit and type some work, for example, a diploma, an order or any other documentation. With the development of computer technology, the option of using a special speech recognition program has emerged.

Built-in utilities

Voice control of your Windows 8 computer is carried out using the built-in Windows Speech Recognition utility. Unfortunately, at the moment it is not possible to control your computer in Russian. Microsoft is apparently trying to focus on the most common languages, but it is possible that support for the Russian language will soon be released.

If you still want to try to control your iron friend using English, follow the following instructions.

1. Go to the control panel in the "Language" sub-item. You need to set the system language to English. If you do not have it, you will need to download the appropriate language pack.
2. After downloading and installing the language, go to the initial screen with the “tile”.
3. Type Windows Speech Recognition into the search and press Enter. This starts the voice recognition program.
4. When you first start it, you will be asked to set up your microphone. Choose your variety and say a few words.
5. You will then be offered a 20-minute training course. It is held in English, so if you don't understand the language, feel free to skip it. The program's interface is absolutely clear, so even a child can understand it.
6. To enable voice control of your computer, you will need to say the key phrase “Start listening”. This means "start listening". Now you can launch the program you need and start dictating text.

In general, the possibilities of this utility are inexhaustible. In addition to using basic commands, you can also create your own.

Development

Many applications have been created for Russian and English speech recognition:

• "Dictograph 5";
• "Perpetuum Mobile";
• Voice_PE;
• Lucent;
• VoiceType;
• Sacrament.

However, the most popular ones are:

• "Gorynych";
• Web Speech;
• RealSpeaker;
• Speechka.

Let's take a closer look at them.

"Gorynych"

As the name suggests, the application was created by a team of Russian programmers and was named after a Russian fairy-tale character named Gorynych. Voice control of the computer in it is carried out in Russian, however, there is also support for English. "Gorynych" allows you to control a personal computer in user mode, that is, perform all possible actions that you can perform with a mouse and keyboard: working with windows, applications, processes running on a personal computer. Moreover, “Gorynych” recognizes the speech of only one owner, but not always.

However, there is one rather big drawback. The fact is that you need to enter the entire command base manually. That is, before you can do anything on the computer with your voice, you need to create an entire database with commands recorded in your voice. Even if you do this, if you suddenly become hoarse or the timbre of your voice changes even a little, “Gorynych” will completely refuse to understand you.

Another pitfall is that if you want to dictate texts to a computer, you will first need to create a huge dictionary for “Gorynych” with a good vocabulary so that he can understand what you dictate.

Speechka

Third-party applications installed on a personal computer can help ensure this. One of them is Speechka. Just like Gorynych, a Russian product created on the basis of Google technologies, Spichka allows the user to voice control the computer using a given set of commands. Speechka recognizes any speech quite well, and there is no need to record audio files. It is enough to simply enter a word on the keyboard and associate it with some action. Simply put, it's a worthwhile product, but one that is still in development, as features like closing windows or launching programs have only recently been added.

Typing

Having understood what voice control of a computer is, let’s consider the problem of typing. As already mentioned, not all applications allow this. In most cases, this requires first compiling an entire dictionary, and if you are a Windows 8 user, then the problem of supporting Russian speech also arises. To solve this problem, there is a voice dialing service created by Google.

Available only for Chrome browsers, the Google Web Speech application recognizes 32 leading world languages, including Russian. To enter text by voice, you will need an appropriate browser, Internet and a microphone. Developments have advanced far enough that this utility is able to perceive literate Russian speech in whole words and translate it into printed text.

Another program for recognizing speech and dictating it to a personal computer is RealSpeaker. It uses modern technologies for recognizing facial expressions. Absolutely any webcam is suitable for its use. The only inconvenience that arises during the work is that the speaker’s face must be exactly opposite the camera, at a distance of no more than 40 centimeters. This program has a Russian language dictionary, which the user can expand if desired. In general, this program is much more convenient than Gorynych.

Bottom line

If you are thinking about controlling your computer with your voice, believe me, this is not for Russia yet. Adequate recognition programs today exist only in English, and automatic voice typing will contain so many errors that it will be easier to write text from scratch than to correct all the typos. Of course, you can try to learn English and operate a computer in it, but you will need perfect diction and pronunciation.

Many users have already become familiar with the Cortana assistant on Windows Phone 8.1 and its capabilities. The program appeared in 2014, but during this time it has gathered many fans. That is why the developers added it to Windows 10, which became known not so long ago. If we talk about assistant functions, then first of all we should mention the improved search function.

Now finding information about anything has become much easier. All you have to do is give a voice or written command to Cortana and wait for the results to appear. Using it you can also monitor world news, weather forecasts, your parcels, plane tickets and other transport.

Useful features include reminders for appointments recorded in the calendar. Assistant Cortana will not let you miss an important event and will notify you about it with a sound signal. By the way, you can now attach reminders to a specific location, which is quite convenient.

Cortana also has entertainment functions. For example, she can tell jokes and stories, talk to a person, sing songs and more. Its capabilities are constantly expanding, so one can only guess what else the developers will add. Cortana Windows 10 will be useful for both home and office. With its help, it will be easier for a person to find the necessary information, which will significantly speed up the work process.

Unfortunately, Cortana is not yet available in Russian, and there is no information about when a translation will appear. It is important to note that this assistant may not be available in all countries. The developers did not say in which countries it will not be available.

Microsoft Assistant is easy to use. You can use both voice and printed commands - it all depends on the user’s desire. How to enable the Cortana voice assistant in Windows 10 is perhaps the first question that interests many people. To activate the program, just click on the O icon next to the Start button, or you can say “Hey Cortana.”

Commands must be entered into the bottom field, which says “Ask me anything.” For voice input, you need to click on the microphone icon. Search results will be returned immediately. They can display websites, installed programs, downloaded photos, songs, documents and other files. Just click on any file to activate it.

To make Cortana perform more serious commands, you need to click on the “Hamburger” icon in the upper left corner. There you can change reminders and settings, customizing them to suit you. As for protection, there is no need to worry about it. Microsoft provides users with complete data confidentiality, which is important, because the assistant has access to all letters, search queries and other personal information.

Those people who do not trust such applications can configure the program so that it cannot read mail, track packages, or view the calendar. True, in this case its capabilities will be greatly reduced.

As soon as Cortana appears in Russian, it will be possible to evaluate all its capabilities and innovations, of which there are many. It is recommended to carefully review the settings in order to adapt the program to suit you and make it as convenient as possible.

Synchronization

Users of Cortana installed on Windows 8.1 are familiar with the ability to sync settings and reminders across all their devices with a Microsoft account. This made it possible to use the assistant on different tablets, communicators and computers without having to configure it for each device separately.

Such a function helped save time and eliminated the possibility that a person would forget to transfer a reminder about an appointment to the phone, which is, for example, on a laptop. There was no need to worry that an important event would be missed due to the fact that the user could not be near his computer at the right time.

Windows 10 Cortana will also have synchronization, which can be controlled directly from the Assistant or from the new All Settings panel, which replaces the Control Panel and PC Settings. This is quite convenient, since you don’t have to waste your time adapting Cortana on each device.

How to disable the program

If it happens that the assistant is not needed or there is a concern that it will track your data, then you can easily turn it off. There are only two ways to do this. The first is the simplest - you will need to activate the program from the search section on the taskbar. When this is done, you need to open the application settings and under the “Cortana” section, change the switch position to “Off”.

The second method is no less easy. You will also need to launch the assistant and go to Settings. This time you will need the “Privacy” menu, in other words, “Confidentiality”. You should go to the “Speech, signature and typing” item, where you need to click on “Stop getting to know me”. That's all.

Any of these methods will completely disable Cortana and delete all information that the program has already received on this device. However, previously collected data will not be deleted from her notebook.

Conclusion

We can already say for sure that Cortana will become a useful application that will be used by many owners of this operating system. The assistant will be an excellent assistant for business people for whom it is important to save their time and keep abreast of all events and appointments. It is important that the developers do a good job on the program and fix all existing problems, if any, now.

At the moment, we can only wait for Cortana to be released in Russian. All users are advised to be patient, because the new assistant and a number of its features are worth attention. (The author of the article is Alexey Troitsky).