I would not mind universal speech-to-text translation.
July 11, 2010 – 2:28 amTiny vent time right now.
- I can’t hear.
- This includes phone calls. I mostly have a phone so I can send and receive text messages[0].
- My voicemail message says, explicitly, I can’t hear, do not leave me voicemail, it will not, not, NOT get listened to because I CAN’T HEAR.
- When I give people my phone number (when I must), I always write something to the effect of “I can’t hear, please SMS or email.”
- PEOPLE STILL LEAVE VOICEMAIL.[1][2]
[0] There are exceptions. When people I know very well – folks who I’ve talked with often and long enough to be used to their voice and word choice patterns – call and talk with me on a subject I know (and which thus has predictable conversations paths), I can make it through a call. It’s still hard. Generally speaking, the cognitive load needed for me to process audio-only data is sufficient to make my reasoning sub-par when I can’t lipread (or in other words, if you want me to be able to think and comment intelligently on what you’re saying, find a way to let me read your lips). Drive out to meet me. Turn around to face me. Grab a webcam. Go to text chat. Something. Anything. Seriously.
[1] And expect me to call them back and speak with their customer service representatives. I need to find a relay service I’m happy with because AT&T over AIM has not been able to help me make my calls the last 5 or so times I’ve tried. Not sure what’s up with that.
[2] Imagine needing to ask a friend to listen to – and relay – every voicemail message you ever get. Think about how inconvenient, potentially embarrassing, and – honestly – downright disempowering – that would feel. I realize I have a lot of privilege, I realize this is a minor thing compared to what many other people have to go through, but… after a decade (I’ve had a phone for 10 years now) it’s starting to get to me a little.
I’ve vented about this before, but still don’t have a good solution. Any ideas?
9 Responses to “I would not mind universal speech-to-text translation.”
Switching to Google Voice? I haven’t used it much myself because I’m in Japan, but it has voicemail transcription. Seems like you can even use it with your existing phone number now.
By David N on Jul 11, 2010
Sympathies, this sucks.
I guess I would try Google Voice, and if the accuracy on that speech recognition was too irritating, you could ask your provider if there’s a way to play your welcome message and then just hang up on people.
Also, Google Voice lets you download your voicemail as .wav files, if I recall. Do you have a method for modulating voice down to an audible frequency range that might work on that?
By Chris on Jul 11, 2010
I know some people who keep separate phone numbers for text and for voice. Maybe instead of “I can’t hear” use “this number is for text messages only”? (otherwise, google voice++)
By Katie on Jul 11, 2010
Yeah – google voice has a feature that will transcribe your voicemails, and it’s fairly decent. Works with almost all existing cell phone plans.
By Tommy on Jul 11, 2010
Everyone else said what I was going to say, so let me just say “<3 Mel".
By DJ on Jul 12, 2010
You may also be able to get your phone service to cancel your voicemail – I know Verizon had our phone plans set up so that we didn’t have voicemail at all on our cell phones. So people just never had the opportunity to leave any voicemail for us.
By Nikki on Jul 12, 2010
Well, a good solid smack up side the head with a baseball bat does wonders. But that might be a bit extreme.
By Gary on Jul 12, 2010
Jen actually had her number *disconnected* for voice service. So now it won’t even ring and go to voicemail if someone calls. It ONLY does data. Try to convince AT&T to do that?
By Mackenzie on Jul 23, 2010
Also, folks:
Google Voice is royal fail at transcribing if the person on the other end has a speech impediment or accent. Like, you’ll get total gibberish if their R’s sound funny and only about 1/2 the words right with a British accent. I have to listen to about half the voicemails I get on my phone to sort out what the heck the transcription was trying to tell me.
(Yes, I do submit them to go back into the voice training software)
By Mackenzie on Jul 23, 2010