How To How To Make Your Own Digital Assistant
Recently(well,not that recent) Apple released its iPHONE 4s which featured a built-in digital assistant which it called Siri . Later, Google showed Google Now featured in Android Jellybean. But what about us Windows users? Microsoft didn't release anything like that in Windows 8. It just created a small utility in vista,7 and 8 to recognize a few limited commands whose only upper hand over Siri and Google Now was that it was offline. So , here, I present a guide to maximize the potential of that little utility to get a real digital assistant. So lets get to it.
Requirements:
1. A Windows vista, 7 or 8 computer
2. Speech Macros installed(make sure you don't change the default installation path)
3. Most important, your imagination and a bit of time
2. Speech Macros installed(make sure you don't change the default installation path)
3. Most important, your imagination and a bit of time
Explanation:
First of all, I recommend you to make yourself familiar with the Windows Speech Recognition. You can find it in the control panel. Just set up your microphone,take the tutorial and do a few training sessions to help the computer better understand you. So after installing the speech macros, you must be wondering that what on Earth are they? It is basically a program that allows you to create and edit existing commands available for speech recognition. Don't worry, I will teach you how the basics of this program. So just double-click its icon. Now, it will not open up as a window but will appear as a icon in your taskbar. Right-click on the icon and select create new macro. Now a few options will appear in front of you;select create advanced speech macro. A window will appear. Clear all the text in it. To make commands through this method, you have to learn a bit(don't worry,its darn easy).
In this window every command you make starts with the <speechMacros> tag and ends with the </speechMacros> tag. So the syntax always is -
<speechMacros>
----Content-----
</speechMacros>
The <command> tag is used for indicating the computer that the command has started and </command> tag for indicating that it has ended. So the syntax will now be -
<speechMacros>
<command>
----Content-----
</command>
</speechMacros>
The <listenFor> tag is used to determine what the computer should listen for which ends with </listenFor>. The <speak> tag is used to determine what the computer should say in response to listening whatever was specified with the <listenFor> tag. So If I want to make my computer say hi after hearing me say hello, I would input this in the advanced macro window -
<speechMacros>
<command>
<listenFor>hello</listenFor><speak>hi</speak>
</command>
</speechMacros>
If you want, you can try by copy-pasting the above code. Just hit the ok or save (something) button. Now whenever you will say hello to your computer, it will reply with hi. Now go have some fun creating macros.
Be sure to check out project Alpha.
You can get some knowledge of more advanced speech macros on msdn here.
Will be uploading some of my own speech macros soon.
Please comment or ask your queries through the form on my home page
In this window every command you make starts with the <speechMacros> tag and ends with the </speechMacros> tag. So the syntax always is -
<speechMacros>
----Content-----
</speechMacros>
The <command> tag is used for indicating the computer that the command has started and </command> tag for indicating that it has ended. So the syntax will now be -
<speechMacros>
<command>
----Content-----
</command>
</speechMacros>
The <listenFor> tag is used to determine what the computer should listen for which ends with </listenFor>. The <speak> tag is used to determine what the computer should say in response to listening whatever was specified with the <listenFor> tag. So If I want to make my computer say hi after hearing me say hello, I would input this in the advanced macro window -
<speechMacros>
<command>
<listenFor>hello</listenFor><speak>hi</speak>
</command>
</speechMacros>
If you want, you can try by copy-pasting the above code. Just hit the ok or save (something) button. Now whenever you will say hello to your computer, it will reply with hi. Now go have some fun creating macros.
Be sure to check out project Alpha.
You can get some knowledge of more advanced speech macros on msdn here.
Will be uploading some of my own speech macros soon.
Please comment or ask your queries through the form on my home page
Written on 29th march, 1:47 a.m.