Usability Views Article Details  home | timeline | recent | popular | e-reports | userati | books | about  Voice Recognition Technology (23 Aug 2005) This week's Shop Talk is part of BBC Voices and discusses the computer systems which think they're human because they can talk to us. A decade ago we were told we'd soon be throwing away our keyboards but it didn't happen because the technology wasn't reliable enough. But it's come a long way since then and now it's an absolute boon for disabled people. It's reckoned that one system has even saved lives. Automated voices are increasingly being used in call centres and a virtual receptionist has even been created. She will greet you and ask you if you'd like a cup of coffee before announcing your arrival. But do we actually like talking to a machine, especially when it doesn't understand us? Guests: Simon Howard ScanSoft Professor Helen Petrie Centre for Human-Computer Interaction design, City University Professor Mark Hawley Speech and hearing Group, Sheffield University David Noone Intervoice Eric Janke IBM Paul White Graham Technology Article URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/shoptalk/shoptalk_20050823.shtml   30.00    (Shop Talk)   Read 205 more articles from BBC Radio 4 sorted by date, popularity, or title. Next Article: A List Apart 4.0     This site is a labour of love built by Chris McEvoy