What do you use voice recognition technology for? Do you just record notes to yourself? Narrate word documents? Maybe you’ve got something locked with a voice password. No matter what, voice recognition technology is getting better and more commonly used, providing more benefits and uses than previously considered.

Let’s start by looking at the uses of voice data. Like any recording, it can be copied, sent, and replayed whenever necessary. One can reuse voice data when needed for continuous accuracy and availability. Let’s not forget the flexibility of voice recordings; there are very few devices that can’t play audio, and unified communication and collaboration software makes sending voice messages simple.

Of course, for those who would prefer to read a message than hear it, voice recognition software can often transcribe voice messages to text. That can then be sent as an e-mail or text message to any number of recipients, with the audio file attached.

Personally, I think the important thing for voice recognition is context recognition when transcribing, so the software knows when to use there/their/there, you’re/your, and so on. I hold my programs to the same grammatical standards as I hold myself.

This also works in the reverse; those who would prefer to hear a message than read it can listen to voice messages whenever they want. If someone is too busy to type something, they can speak it and the voice recognition software will record it with great accuracy.

Speaking of, the accuracy of voice recognition technology has never been higher. While there are always minor errors to correct, that’s rarely an issue. Healthcare businesses, for example, have found a great improvement in productivity because of the quality of voice recording.

"Rather than a physician waiting for a transcriptionist, the accuracy levels are so high that they can use the product themselves to capture the information they need directly into their workstation or mobile device,” says Mike Raymer of M*Modal, which provides clinical transcription services. “They can then see what they said, make small corrections, sign the documentation, then send it off. This 'one-and-done' advantage eliminates the need for multiple steps and people involved, and makes clinical observations immediately available to everyone else."

I think it’s clear by now just how helpful voice recognition technology can be – from convenient communication to improved productivity, voice has come a long way. There’s no need to worry about the office prankster deleting your work with an offhanded-but-loud comment, just improved quality that comes from your voice.

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