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Environmental Control
Jeff uses an Environmental
Control System by which he can control his in-home environment (TV, DVD
and other things) by voice.
The EC system is composed of
hardware and software from a number of sources. Its main elements are the
desktop computer, voice
recognition software, a number of sending and
receiving units that emit or recognize infrared and other signals,
and an EC software package that acts as the
programmable interface linking all the other parts.
For example, in the EC software
we programmed a page that enables Jeff to operate
his bedroom TV. All of the “buttons” necessary to control the cable TV
system were laid out and named on the computer screen. Then the program
was trained to equate each on-screen button with the associated
infrared signal that would be emitted by the
TV’s handheld remote control.
Jeff is able to use his voice
recognition program to “push” the onscreen buttons. So, for example, if
everything is working right, he can speak the word “louder” into his
microphone, and the voice software will recognize that word, and search on
screen for the text string “louder.” When it finds the word “louder” on a
button, it will instruct an infrared emitter or “IR
blaster” to send out the infrared signal that would have been sent
if someone had pushed the TV remote’s “volume up” button.
Simple, right?
Actually, it is even more
complicated than that, but you probably get the point and we don’t want
you to give up and click to another site. Just trust us: it works. Jeff
can be in the kitchen and operate the TV in his bedroom by talking
“wireless” to the computer in the room next door.
Note:
Jeff's system is being upgraded.
Check back soon for information about the new stuff.
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