9 - Voice recognition is flawless

Posted on 15 Aug 2007 at 10:43

This article nearly didn't get written thanks to it being crafted using voice-recognition software and the original edit being eaten by a SELECT ALL/DELETE command, inadvertently given when we said yes to a cup of tea. As we generally comment at the end of voice-recognition software reviews, the technology has some way to go, but it's reassuring to see they've comprehensively cracked it in the movies.

We're sure Michael Knight never said "wind down the window, buddy" to KITT and was rewarded with a trip to the seaside; likewise, Captain Picard never accidentally set the Enterprise on a collision course with the moon, yet both characters spoke to their computers in a conversational manner that would be all but incomprehensible to the average PC.

But the best example yet comes from the ever-reliable Star Wars. Multilingual android C-3PO can translate the muted growlings of a Wookie, while Vista can't reliably grasp the concept of a full stop. And remember, that was a long, long time ago.

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