Much of today's software can reach up to 90-percent accuracy, even higher with training, experts say. But strong accents, high-pitched voices and speech impediments can throw accuracy rates off. Background noise can also confuse voice-recognition systems. Unlike people, computers cannot focus on a particular speaker and drown out the rest of the background noise, explains Raymond Gunn, CEO of Clarity, a Troy company that makes software that enables computers to separate a speaker's voice from other noise. Gunn said Clarity's software can boost a system's accuracy rate from 90 percent up to as high as 97 percent.
Background noise is a particularly big issue in cars and public places where people use cell phones.
People at homes and offices can always type on a PC, but people who are driving or walking through an airport can't open a laptop. They could speak into a speaker phone or cell phone. Markowitz said businesses eager to make or save money by having employees take advantage of mobile offices initially will push the technology forward. They'll have specific needs such as a sales force on the go who needs access to information.