Speech interfaces for computer systems: problems and potential

Computer interfaces have followed an evolutionary course from simple key-operated devices to more sophisticated sight, sound and touch mechanisms. Speech technologies have reached the point where a range of different interfaces is now possible. However, only rather simple tasks such as the dictation of office correspondence are practical today. A discussion of some potential applications of speech interfaces and their problems is given, leading to the proposal of a layered architecture which would encompass acoustic, speech, language and dialogue processing. Specific issues concerned with speech recognition capabilities are reviewed, and experience gained with a practical office dictation machine is given as a case study of a speech interface. © 1993.