Voice activated commands

scourgewarper · Dec 2008

I'm sure this must have been discussed before but what's the view on using voice recognition software to issue commands when your modeling instead of hotkeys?

I've read a lot on people's hotkey setups and workflows but never really seen anyone using voice programs does anyone here? Or is it simply quicker using hotkeys and too much hassle to setup?

MoP · Dec 2008

Well, hotkeys require no "training" time ... even with good voice recognition software, you have to "train" it a bit to learn your voice, otherwise it might not respond as well to commands. So that's an immediate difference, hotkeys waste less time.

Also, it might be hard to use that while listening to music, podcasts or similar things. Unless you use headphones... but then you'll probably end up talking louder than you need to.

Also there's the chance that amusing people might sneak up behind you and shout something like "SELECT ALL, DELETE, SAVE!" while you're in the middle of something

In general it always sounds like a fun idea but I don't think I've ever seen anyone using voice recognition software for actual 3d or 2d work, it would just become annoying and probably tiring too. Hotkeys or better customised right-click menus are definitely the way to go, I reckon.

scourgewarper · Dec 2008

MoP wrote: »

Also there's the chance that amusing people might sneak up behind you and shout something like "SELECT ALL, DELETE, SAVE!" while you're in the middle of something

Haha. Didn't think of that but like the way you think tho

I guess your right - in principle it sounds good but at the end of the day its a ballache to setup and isn't widely adopted. I was reading Ted Boardmans blog and he mentioned he used that dragon program and thought yer good idea but I think i'll just dedicate some time to setting up my hotkeys properly.

LEViATHAN · Dec 2008

I don't feel like telling commands at my computer all day long.

renderhjs · Dec 2008

thats what these are for:

to bind even more shortcuts

or if you have the money one of these
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Marine · Dec 2008

LEViATHAN wrote: »

I don't feel like telling commands at my computer all day long.

you don't want to yell "MAKE ART" at it?

pior · Dec 2008

Hehe I tried looking into just that a few weeks ago :P Unfortunately I did not get good results. Not really because of faulty recognition, but mostly because i couldn't find a decent application running macros driven by voice recognition. The closest I could get was, launching apps by saying their names. But it wasn't faster/snappier than Launchy for instance.

You could give Tazti a try :
http://letmebemobile.tazti3.com/
but then again no macro possibilities - just app launching, generic stuff and itunes controls.

I tried the latest Dragon software but wasn't impressed at all.

I'd love to be able to select a specific photoshop brush by saying it's name. Having a dedicated kb shortcuts per brush would still be ... stealthier, but I dont think this is even possible?

bugo · Dec 2008

Doesnt Vista have already some features for voice action commands?

scourgewarper · Dec 2008

There was a clip on the bbc a few years ago of some guy moving a mouse pointer on a screen using his thoughts (via electrodes - not defying physics:)) but not sure how quick that would be compared to using an old fashioned hand.

Rob Galanakis · Dec 2008

Well as a replacement for 'hotkeys', I think voice commands are just too slow.

BUT, you could have voice commands replace menus, or at least make you never go into a menu again. While Ctrl+W is easier than saying 'Weld Selected', saying 'Create sphere zero fifteen zero' is easier than going to create->sphere->move to 15,0,0. The possibility of completely removing a UI, common things being done through hotkeys/whatever, and everything else being spoken, would be really awesome... and possible, I think, since with COM bridges you can drive the 3d programs. I'll make a thread about it at TAO next week and see if anyone has any ideas, this has lots of possibility.

scourgewarper · Dec 2008

Vista does have some voice recognition app bundled with it but i've not tried it.

And that completely configurable keyboard - $1500! surely better to get a 21" Cintiq no?

I like the idea of being able to create primitives via voice commands I never thought of that, a lot of potentital there I look forward to your thread RobG.

seforin · Dec 2008

PAINT TEXTURE!

what about one of those small hand/gaming keyboards anyway to rig that up for a system like this?

Blaizer · Dec 2008

omg a keyboard with an emule/piracy button hahaha

I prefer a small and compact keyboard than all those useless and expensive keyboards. Shortcuts are the best, and i don't imagine myself all the day saying "cut", "paste", "boolean", "bevel", "join", "collapse", "bridge"... pufff

I use so many commands that i would end without voice, afon?

We should optimize our workflow and use the less tools possible, simple is always the best. As example, for me, extrude or inset does not exist, all is reduced to the tool "bevel" (i only need to press "b"). In photoshop, a few pencils and custom brushes and that's all, you really don't need to use 200 brushes and all the interface options... I only do a right click and i have all what i use in a ms. I'm quite happy with my workflow.

Voice recognition would be cool for the house, lights on!, but surely it has more cons than pros.

What i would like is to control what i see with my mind hehehe, but it's impossible for now. No shortcuts, no mouse, no talk, only the man and the screen (or glasses with screens too, nvidia has a pair).

Japhir · Dec 2008

what RobG said is pretty interesting, if somebody would start developing stuff like that i'm pretty sure that the computers will have to develop more in our language (and therefore become more "intelligent"). so if we'd develop simple stuff like this, in my sci-fi driven mind it streers directly to AI

.

pior · Dec 2008

Fortunately, not gonna happen anytime soon haha!

rooster · Dec 2008

or unfortunately as the case may be

vik · Dec 2008

this will be cool once it will work properly, the possobilities are endless

You: <theatrical voice> Let there be light! and puff, magic :icon3:

AI sounds like fun but imagine an AI with an attitude:

You: <theatrical voice> Let there be light!
AI: Say please!

or

You: Bridge tool, please!
AI: hmm are you sure? You want to bridge that?! Topology is a mess! I'm sorry Dave, but I'm afraid I can't do that.

Toast · Dec 2008

I think Maya has ability to do Voice command actions with this script:

http://www.highend3d.com/maya/downloads/tools/misc/3957.html

Never tried it though and it seems to be outdated a few versions.

Blaizer · Dec 2008

You: Bridge tool, please!
AI: hmm are you sure? You want to bridge that?! Topology is a mess! I'm sorry Dave, but I'm afraid I can't do that.

mmm that would be like the UAC in Vista XDDD, asking for all hehe

Codeman · Dec 2008

I use a tablet pc like a cintiq and love it. I have to use a bluetooth keyboard to get shortcuts and it sucks. I would love to use voice command of it worked.

Voice activated commands

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