I got this request from Lisa Noble…
@dougpete Can we get the word out? This is a lot of fun! Common Voice https://t.co/BHSz5Hz8VS
— Lisa Noble (@nobleknits2) July 20, 2017
Well, of course, I had to check it out.
Not only is it a “lot of fun” as Lisa notes, it addresses a big bug-a-boo of mine. There has to be a much more sophisticated and reliable approach to voice recognition. You should hear me sometimes screaming at the voice recognition unit in my car as I try to get it to do things.
On the other hand, my Moto 360 watch and my Samsung phone don’t seem to have a problem.
So, in this project, you can help validate submissions and contribute your own voice.
Listening to the submissions and checking them off was actually a great deal of fun. I thought here was a nice selection of various accents.
When you create your own, you’re asked to self-identify a number of things.
The project is focused on English and you get to select your accent.
I have to smile. Recently, I caught up with a number of friends from various locations world-wide at the CSTA Conference. I think of listening to friends in discussions from New Hampshire, Arkansas, Iowa, and Ohio. To my ear, they all have a different type of accent. I wonder how they can be clumped together as “United States English”.
I then turned to myself. I don’t have an accent! Or, at least I don’t think I do. But, I supposed I’d qualify as “Canadian English”, whatever that ultimately means! I do know that I have a very nasal voice.
So, I’ll contribute a couple of sentences. If it makes my future voice recognition things work better, I’m all for it.
Project Common Voice can be accessed here.
Thanks for the lead, Lisa. Hopefully, others can find a moment or two to chip in.
doug --- off the record 