"Olympus Dictation Delivery Service (ODDS) - Dictation on your Smartphone!"

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Olympus is proud to announce the release of the first ever Olympus Dictation Smartphone Application together with the innovative cloud-based Olympus Dictation Delivery Service (ODDS). The Olympus Dictation App (available for iOS and Android devices) enables users to dictate in the established DSS format, even when their dictation device is not to hand. You can now dictate whenever and wherever you are and still enjoy all the benefits of their Olympus Digital Dictation workflow solutions.

Finally smartphone dictation goes professional including highly secure data transfer and central administration of phones and users. Converting speech to text becomes child’s play from all over the world.

ODDS – The professional cloud solution

The Olympus Dictation Delivery Service (ODDS)  manages the transfer of dictations recorded with the Olympus Dictation app for iPhone and Android. In the event unexpected dictation is needed and you do not have your professional voice recorder with you, you can easily record and push the dictation into the organisation's system workflow to get it transcribed before you’re back in the office.

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Data security comes first

A company’s data is often its greatest asset. Once Olympus Dictation for iPhone or for Android is connected with ODDS, an organisation can benefit from a vast range of security features. Dictations can be recorded in DSS Pro format with 256-bit AES encryption.

This means that dictation files are protected even before they are sent via HTTPS or ftps – and cannot be listened to by unauthorised persons at any point in the delivery chain.

Seamless integration into existing dictation workflows

The audio format DSS Pro, an established industry standard for professional speech processing solutions, enables seamless integration and subsequent processing to get speech transcribed from all over the world.

Meta information such as author ID and work types are also stored in the dictation file itself. It's also possible to route dictations to a company's ftp server so that the typists can access the dictations wherever they are.

Olympus Dictation Portal

Olympus Dictation Portal (ODP) is a highly secured and flexible web-based configuration tool that allows administrators to centrally manage the Olympus Dictation app and corresponding ODDS licenses.

Configuration issues such as the destination address of dictations and encryption settings are controlled by the administrator, meaning that authors (the end users) are free to concentrate on dictation using their app. This keeps everything as simple as possible and avoids user errors.

Professional usability meets smartphones' wireless capabilities

When it comes to dictation, professionals often don’t want to go without the comfort and usability of a specialised tool like a professional voice recorder. At the same time, these users are frequently on the go, in situations where they have to make on-the-spot dictations and send them for transcription immediately.

That's why the Olympus DS-7000 and DS-3500 recorders support the Toshiba FlashAir™ card. With this unrivalled team and the Olympus Dictation app installed on a smartphone, dictations can be downloaded wirelessly and then sent via the mobile phone's network to the desired recipient.

Dictate the unexpected

Dictate, annotate and send. Olympus dictation for iPhone / Android is a beautifully simple recording app for making dictations on the go.
Easy editing – insert, overwrite – and sending to get the voice file transcribed.
For companies, this means increased efficiency, decreased costs and getting more done in less time.

A picture is worth a thousand words

There are many situations in professional life where the spoken word only really gains value together with a visual stimulus to accompany it. And many descriptive work processes where images are indispensable. Now experts, consultants and assessors can attach a picture to any dictation they make – no matter whether it was recorded using an Olympus DS-7000/DS-3500 recorder or the Olympus Dictation app – before sending both together to the typist.

Further information and pricing can be found here.

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"What to expect from your first Assistive Technology training session"

Firstly we would like to thank you for choosing Freedom of Speech ltd for your Assistive Technology training.

Assistive Technology training is for specialist computer software or hardware used to reduce the impact that your disability has on your work or home life. We have over 40 year’s collective experience in the Assistive Technology industry and are experts in this field.

On the day of your first training session, you will have a short consultation with your trainer to find out what needs to be done to tailor the Assistive Technology personally to your needs. During the consultation, you will have the opportunity to tell your trainer about you, your disability, and also ask any questions.

The trainer will ensure the software has been set up correctly and any alterations to the software set up will then be made if required. The Assistive Technology training during the first session will cover an introduction to your software/hardware.

At the end of the first session, you will be given training material associated to the topic covered. We encourage you to use your software straight away and use the training material we have given to you to refer to.

Your technical support commences on your first training session with us, so if your technology encounters a problem please consult our technical specialist.

Our technical support team can be reached on 01903 264008. Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm excluding public and bank holidays.

We wish you every success with your Assistive Technology and hope that you have a great experience with Freedom of Speech.

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"AT for Children"

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE FOR CHILDREN

Over 200 thousand children in the United Kingdom have a learning disability such as Dyslexia or Dyspraxia.

As a result, children can struggle to keep up with written assignments and homework. This can be very demotivating and can cause a feeling of segregation due to an inability to keep up with their peers.

Education is crucial and gives the opportunity of success in a chosen career as an adult. Freedom of Speech Ltd is working with educational establishments to increase awareness of learning disabilities such as Dyslexia and to show how Assistive Technology helps.

Assistive Technology has become increasingly popular in schools and colleges in recent years and the results have been phenomenal.   The software has reduced a child’s anxiety about their school work & has allowed them to reach grades which pupils, parents and teachers couldn’t have anticipated.

Assistive Technology software has been used in classrooms, at home and even in exams to help children with a learning disability reach their full potential. Breaking the barrier of the disability using Assistive Technology allows a child to flourish and achieve.

Freedom of Speech has worked with many schools across the UK to bespoke software to individual pupil’s requirements or to roll out a software application to a whole school for everyone’s use. We have also spoken with parents directly to help their child with exams and coursework.
Special discounted rates are available for educational establishments.

POPULAR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

DRAGON NATURALLYSPEAKING SOFTWARE.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 Premium ignites new levels of productivity by letting you interact with your PC by voice at work, home or school. Dictate or modify documents, spreadsheets and presentations, send email, search the Web and more. Even capture notes on the go using a digital recorder and Dragon will transcribe the audio files back at your PC.

Dragon adapts to your voice and the words you use to deliver better recognition results over time.

TEXTHELP READ & WRITE GOLD SOFTWARE.
Read&Write is an easy-to-use flexible toolbar containing support features to make reading, writing and research easier for you. The software has been designed to address some of the issues that people with dyslexia face daily, namely reading difficulties, writing difficulties, problems with spelling and general literacy support.

Functions include Text-to-speech, Word prediction, speaking spell checker (with definitions), document scanning and screenshot reader (to have any on-screen text, even in a web browser) read back.

INSPIRATION SOFTWARE.
For visual mapping, outlining, writing and making presentations, use Inspiration 9, the ultimate thinking and learning tool. Brainstorm ideas, structure your thoughts and visually communicate concepts to strengthen understanding with the Diagram and Map Views. To take notes, organise information, and structure writing for plans, papers and reports, use the integrated Outline View to focus on main and supporting ideas and to clarify thinking in written form.

ZOOMTEXT SOFTWARE.
ZoomText Magnifier enlarges and enhances everything on your computer screen, making all of your applications easy to see and use.

ZoomText Magnifier/Reader combines the revolutionary new features of ZoomText Magnifier with a powerful set of reading tools, giving you the total computer access solution. See and hear what you’re doing in all of your applications right through your computer’s speakers.

For further product and training information, please contact our head office on 01903 263007. We will be happy to provide you with further information and pricing.

Our children of today are our future for tomorrow. Let’s do what we can to put everything in place to allow a child to succeed.

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"ASPIRE - Supporting people with Spinal Injury"

HISTORY

Every 8 hours someone is paralysed by a spinal cord injury which affects around 40,000 people in the UK. Aspire is a charity which was established to provide adequate facilities for the disabled.
In 1991, HRH the Princess of Wales opened Aspire’s state of the art rehabilitation facility which was built next door to the spinal unit at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore. The vision was to promote integration between non-disabled and disabled users.
The facility was designed by Andrew Walker, a lecturer at the Architectural Association in London and cost £2 million. Andrew had himself incurred a spinal injury and was a wheel chair user.
The new facility was so successful that in 1998 a further £5 million was raised for an extension to double its size. The new extension included a swimming pool, dance studio, café and training suite.

WHAT ASPIRE DO

Aspire offer a wide range of services for people that have just been discharged from hospital, to people who have been living with their spinal cord injury for years. Every person living with a spinal cord injury is different but they all have the same goal in mind – to get back to the life they had before their accident.  Aspire do what they can to make that possible.
Many of the facilities available are used by both disabled and the non-disabled. Encouraging all to feel integrated and as one together. Fitness suites offer equipment for everyone and a swimming pool with ramped access for wheelchair users.
Aspire housing is a programme which provides fully accessible properties around the UK. These homes are designed for the newly injured to live in for a temporary period of time whilst they are either waiting for their own home to be adapted to their needs or looking for a new property.
A spinal cord injury changes someone’s life. One of the main worries for those who are newly injured is where are they going to live when they come out of hospital. Their old home won’t be suitable for their needs. Work tops have to be lower, entries to rooms need to be wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair and stairs to go to bed are not an option. These are just some of the things that are no longer suitable after injury.
Aspire understand that this is an incredibly stressful time for someone. Their accessible homes are dotted all over the UK and are fully kitted out with everything from cutlery to sofas so tenants can move in immediately. All homes are at least 2 bedrooms so can accommodate a family. Aspire housing makes it possible for someone to be back with their friends and family to get on with their lives away from the hospital.
Assistive Technology software was introduced in spinal injury centres across the UK in 2006. Using a computer is an everyday experience for most and with software such as the Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition, this made the use of computers possible for people again. Thus allowing them to return to work or even just to communicate privately with friends and family.
One of the most important things for people living with a spinal cord injury is independence and understanding. Aspire employs over 50 permanent members of stuff covering all areas of the charities services to make a difference to someone every day.
Independent Living Advisors all have spinal injuries themselves so can relate to all the emotions a newly injured person is experiencing. They are on hand to share their experiences or just for a chat. It is always helpful to speak to someone who truly understands and can offer advice on many topics, whether it be getting around using public transport or how to prepare for the next summer holiday.

FUNDRAISING FOR ASPIRE

Aspire relies on the generosity of the public as it currently receives no statutory funding. They use the money funded to purchase much needed equipment, Independent living advisors and the Assistive Technology software in the centres.
Did you know that a lightweight wheelchair costs in excess of £4000? Disability is expensive. There is a lot of equipment required and adjustments to be made for people to live comfortably.
Aspire hold many fundraising events throughout the year. Every penny counts and helps Aspire to continue to provide the fantastic services and facilities currently available.
For more information, please visit Aspires website: -  www.aspire.org.uk

Aspire is a charity full of passion and is driven to providing people with spinal cord injuries the best equipment and facilities currently available.
They offer support and funding for all stages of living with a spinal cord injury, making the change of lifestyle easier to cope with. Whether it is physical construction changes within a home or speaking to an Independent Living Advisor for support, every facility available through Aspire is simply life changing for many people.
Freedom of Speech fully support Aspire and will help to develop their Assistive Technology department further. Together we aim to make tomorrow a better day for those with a spinal cord disability.

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"Speech recognition software…science fact or science fiction?"

Many predictions portrayed in popular science fiction of the last 50 years have become a reality. We developed rockets to land people on the moon in the 1960’s; invented mobile phones to text & talk to people miles away in the 1970’s which become commercially available in the 1980’s; created site-to-site tele-transportation devices in the late 1990’s to allow us to travel from one side of the planet to another in less than one minute.

OK…that last statement was fiction, but one of the other great advancements in technology was the invention of speech recognition software allowing us to control computers & mobile devices by voice. FACT. This technology allows us to type letters and control applications in a way that is more natural than using a clunky keyboard and mouse…so which of the following statements about ‘Dragon NaturallySpeaking’ (the industry standard speech recognition software) is FACT and which is FICTION…answers at the end of the blog!

1. Dragon knows in advance what you are going to say.

2. Dragon learns from your mistakes and when you get things right.

3. Dragon can automatically insert commands and full stops into letters without being told.

4. If you record a meeting with lots of people in it, Dragon can translate every persons' speech and colour code the transcription.

5. ‘Dragon NaturallySpeaking v12’ works in conjunction with ‘Thoughtfully Speaking v1’, the world’s first thought-to-text software to make writing e-mails & letters even faster.

6. Dragon can control almost all Windows based applications.

Answers:
1. Although this sounds like a fictional statement, in part, this statement is a fact. Dragon NaturallySpeaking has been programmed to know in general what human voices sound like, how to model the characteristics of a given voice, the basic sounds that make up the English language and the range of ways that different voices make those sounds. It has also been given a basic English vocabulary and some overall statistics about which words are likely to follow which other words. (For example, the word legal is more likely to be followed by citation than by size station)… so when you dictate a sentence, the first few words of that utterance allows Dragon to already start to predict the words/phrases that may follow and therefore Dragon may know in advance what you’re going to say!

2. NaturallySpeaking learns about your voice by listening to you. During the training process, you read out loud some text selections that NaturallySpeaking has stored in its memory. Because it already knows the text that you’re reading, NaturallySpeaking uses this time to model your voice and learn how you pronounce words. NaturallySpeaking goes on learning about your voice every time you use it. When you correct a word or phrase that NaturallySpeaking has guessed wrong, NaturallySpeaking adjusts its settings to make the mistake less likely in the future. Dragon also learns (when you don’t make a correction), that the pattern & context of the words/phrases dictated in a document or e-mail and uses this context in future recognitions…so this statement is a fact.

3. Whilst this statement is actually a fact (Dragon has a Natural Punctuation feature which inserts commands and full stops automatically), we generally turn this feature off allowing the user to insert these punctuation marks themselves when & where specifically required.

4. Unfortunately, the current power of speech recognition technology cannot perform transcription from multiple simultaneous sources i.e. lots of people in a meeting talking at the same time. Dragon is trained to listen to one specific voice (yours!) and so the level of recognition accuracy would be very low if Dragon attempted to use the same voice file/model for different people...so this is fiction. However, Dragon users ARE able to make audio recordings into a digital recorder, whilst in a meeting, which can then be downloaded onto their PC.  Dragon can then turn this audio into a text document automatically. It’s like having your very own PA!

5. Whilst there have be great advancements in technology that can monitor brain activity and turn the electrical impulses into basic actions, we are not at the stage that a computer can translate your thoughts into text on the screen (also, there is no such software as ‘Thoughtfully Speaking’…but if there is in the future, you read it here first!) so this statement is unfortunately fiction.

6. Fact. Out of the box, Dragon is able to dictate text into main stream applications such MS Word, WordPerfect, Outlook, Excel, Internet Explorer etc. and control these applications using voice commands built into the software. For applications that don’t already have voice commands, the Professional, Legal and Medical versions of Dragon allow you to create new voice commands to access the menu, buttons, text fields and other components that make up your application. In this way you can customise Dragon to operate your specific software by voice. Furthermore, Dragon has a feature called the ‘Dictation Box’ which can be used to insert text into non-standard applications such as some web-based systems and Citrix based applications.

Freedom of Speech Ltd provide Dragon NaturallySpeaking software, training and on-going technical support. Whether you’re a solicitor looking to reduce the time to takes to type an e-mail or dictate a letter, a medical professional looking to create patient notes or simply a computer user that doesn’t want to use a keyboard and mouse to operate their PC, Dragon NaturallySpeaking is the solution for you. FACT.

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"BETTS Show - January 2014"

Last week we had the opportunity to attend the BETTS show in London and so we wanted to share our experience with you.

The BETT show is a yearly technology awareness event held in the Excel Centre, London.  Founded in 1985 it was formally known at the British Educational Training and Technology show.

The first show was held in January 1985 at the Barbican Centre, London. The event has grown over the years and opens its doors to around 30 thousand visitors from over 100 countries. In 2013 the show was hosted in the Excel Centre, London to accommodate the amount of visitors walking through the doors.

There are around 700 technology companies who market their products to schools, colleges and other educational establishments. With seminars taking place throughout the events schedule, visitors are kept entertained during their visit.

One of the most popular seminars this year was a talk by the voice of Apple’s ‘Siri’ who is the voice activated assistant available on the iPad and iPhone. Siri’s speech caused a massive hype on Twitter and as a result the hash tag Bett2014 (#Bett2014) was the 4th most popular trend on Twitter.

Students from primary, secondary and higher education are also involved and are encouraged to interact with the technology exhibited.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the BETT show. It is a busy, thriving environment with people of all ages and backgrounds coming together to learn about new technology. The atmosphere is one of passion and enthusiasm to provide the best for tomorrow. Our future, the children.

If you would like to be a part of the BETT show next year then keep an eye on the BETTs website for registration instructions. The dates next year have already been realised so registration is sure to follow soon.

www.bettshow.com
Tel: 020-3627-3650

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"To be trained or not to be trained…that is the question!"

You’ve just received your latest assistive technology software or digital audio recorder to help you write letters, manage your daily tasks, control your in-house database or record your dictated speech. However, without training on how to use it… 

???   How useful will your solution actually be to you   ???

???   Does it work with your applications   ???

???   Will you be able to use it to its full capability   ???

We asked an experienced software trainer at Freedom of Speech Ltd, who is (amongst other qualifications) a Dragon Certified Instructor and Texthelp Certified Trainer to comment on these, and other questions. This is what they had to say:

“I would estimate that a user would only be 50% effective in their understanding of a new software application without formal training i.e. if they just had the manual or Help file to refer to. Imagine asking a new car owner who had not received driving lessons to drive from London to Edinburgh! A good trainer is able to show you all of the features of an application or device so that you can use the it effectively. Unfortunately, many software applications are supplied with lengthy and not very user friendly manuals leaving you no further forward.”

“A good trainer condenses how an application works into understandable, ‘bite sizes chunks’ of information and teaches you at your own pace ensuring you have understood a topic before moving onto the next one.“

“They will also ensure that you are shown all of the functionality of a new application and how it works in your system. For instance, a good Dragon NaturallySpeaking trainer will create new voice commands to operate your in-house applications by voice. An experienced Mind Manager trainer will show you how to create visual project maps for the specific topics you need to work on.”

If you do receive training, what qualifications should the trainer have?

“Ensure that the trainer has the appropriate qualifications or experience for the specific applications and devices that they are training you on.”

“For example, if you are going to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking ‘speech recognition’ software, ensure that your trainer is a Dragon Certified Instructor (normally known by the acronym DCI). They should be able to provide a copy of their DCI certificate to prove it. If you are going to use Texthelp Read & Write ‘text-to-speech’ software, ensure that your trainer is a Texthelp Certified Trainer. They should be able to provide a copy of their Texthelp training certificate to prove it.”

“By doing so, you have the reassurance that they have the necessary knowledge and experience to teach you how to use your solution effectively and in your environment.”

Do all training companies in the UK offer a high level of qualification and experience?

“Unfortunately not. There are a number of training companies in the UK who simply sell cheap training and provide sub-standard courses that are either not long enough (i.e. just a couple of hours!), provided by non-qualified staff (who don’t know their subject matter well) or do not meet the user’s specific needs. I often receive feedback from clients that have approached us after receiving poor quality training from other companies and feel like they can’t use their software properly. We are then able to turn their experience into a positive and effective one.”

What advice do you have when considering buying training services?

“My advice is that, when you in a position to book your training, phone a reputable training company, such as Freedom of Speech Ltd, and ask them to confirm their qualifications & experience (don’t be afraid to ask for copies of their training certificates). Ask them how they will tailor their training to your requirements. If you are in doubt, simply approach another training company that can provide you with a more suitable trainer.“

Do I have to use the company recommended in my assessment report?

“If you have been through the Access to Work scheme and have been provided with an assessment and subsequent report, you do not have to necessarily be trained by the company suggested in the report. You are able to phone the list of companies given (you should have a choice of at least 3) or other reputable company and see which one is most suited to your needs.”

What other services should I expect from a training company?

“Ask the company before you buy training from them, what technical support they offer after the training courses are complete. Many companies do not offer support on the product they train on. If you have a problem or query, who would then contact to help? As an example, if you bought a new car, you would expect a warranty with it to ensure the car keeps running after you have bought it…why should software training be any different?”

“Ensure that the training company has a dedicated technical support helpdesk (which is not normally something that 1 person companies can provide) that you can phone with any training or technical queries you have. Freedom of Speech Ltd provide this service as a standard part of their training service, free for 12 months after training.”

Freedom of Speech Ltd only employee qualified, experienced software trainers. We offer technical support after each training course to ensure that your software & hardware solutions work today, tomorrow and into the future. Contact us for pricing and availability…and even copies of our training qualifications and client feedback!

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