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HTINews Article

Using MASS and Dragon Dictate for Voice Control ... Larry Graham's House
by James Hunter, Phoenix Development Group.

Larry Graham has MS and uses MASS (Multimedia Automation Software System) in conjunction with Dragon Dictate (Speech Dictation Software) to control his home. He is running MASS on a 486 50Mhz PC and his control hardware is a JDS TimeCommander and an IRPX2.

Larry has voice control over all his lights. For example, when Larry says "desk lamp 20%" ... MASS responds by setting the lamp and announcing the result. MASS uses an incremental string approach to this. That means once he selects the device; in this case desk lamp, he can tweak it to the desired setting....example: Once he says desklamp, he can say "20%" which adjusts the lamp to "20%", BUT if that is not enough light, he need simply utter "40%" to bump the level...still not enough he utters "75%". Notice how he does not need to say desk lamp every time.

He can also inquire as to the status of lights by saying, "what is the level of desk lamp", whereby MASS responds with the current level. This is useful for those items not in his direct sight.

Larry also has voice control over his audio and video system. He can call a station by name, utter a command to his amplifier, or even scan channels up or down till he finds what he wants. Saying "stop scan" causes the system to remain on that channel. He can control his CD Changer by voice by naming the album and song he wishes to hear.

Any single utterance can send a macro containing up to 40 different commands.

A new feature Larry is using involves the MASS TV4U Interface. Now he can download a TV schedule from http://www.gist.com into MASSTV4U and have complete TV scheduling at his command. He utters "what is on Cinemax right now" and MASS responds with "Eraser". MASS's Incremental String Technology is also employed here. Once he says "what is on Cinemax" Larry can then say "details" and MASS Responds "Eraser (1996) a 3 star movie is now showing on Cinemax. It started at 2 pm and will end at 3:45 pm".

Larry can also "say what is on tv" and MASS responds by running down the lineup on each channel. When he hears something he likes, he says "go there" and the TV switches to that channel.

The largest benefit of this over products like HAL 2000 or HomeDirector with IBM Recognition is FLEXIBILITY; as it is with every MASS Component! Larry has yet to ask for a feature MASS cannot deliver and since it is on the MASS network, all other interfaces communicate and respond to his commands. Graphics can monitor the state of room devices, MASSCD Jukebox can update to show an album he requests, and MASSTV4U can provide input into a new logic engine in the works. We are utilizing the VB/JAVA Script technology combined with a graphical Point and click interface to program Logic Schedules (Rules BASED AND Boolean!).

Using MASSIVE-MASS Interactive Virtual Engine, Larry will soon be able to navigate around his home virtually to control and monitor components using only his voice.

By using Dragon Dictate we employed an engine that Larry was familiar with, had trained on, and allows dictation of up to 50 wpm. It is the standard package non automated Handicapped persons use to operate computers and the World's Most Popular Speech Dictation Software.