ABSTRACT
Interactive speech technology is that collection of technologies which permit humans and computers to communicate through speech. In this entry, attention will be given to speech recognition systems (see also speech-based displays). This area has been growing apace for many decades and has a reached a stage where it has confidently moved from academia to industry (this is not to deny that industry has often a played crucial role in developing speech technology, but to point to the fact that interactive speech technology is now commercially viable). For ergonomists, the issues relating to speaking to a computer, as opposed to using some other form of control device, are only now beginning to surface. As we see more speechbased applications on the market, it is likely that the question of how best to design interactive speech technology for human use will become paramount.
