Transcript Microsoft Speech Server

Speech Server
“Tips and Tricks”
Agenda
Intro
Tips and Tricks
VUI Design
Development
Debugging
Deploying / Configuring
Tip #1 – Leverage Your
Existing Code Base
Successful
Enterprise
Architectures:
Among other things,
designed for reuse
Speech applications
interface at the VUI
level
Craft your
applications to
leverage your
coding investment
Tip #2 – Get To Know VUI
Design
Voice User Interfaces are the most unique
and challenging to design
Linear in nature
No visual cues
Listening is hard for users
No matter how good the code is, an
unpleasant UI experience is a point of
application failure
This is most evident in speech applications
VUI Design Considerations
Organize the interface…
The flow will likely differ from any existing UI
Consider the person on the other end
The organization should…
Keep it simple
Clear and concise prompts
Fewer menu options
Go deeper in the “menu tree” if necessary
Require little to no memorization
Provide clear “error handling”
Test with human interaction
Write the script (prompts, response tree)
Have one person play the application, the other the
caller
Tip #3 – Learn Your VUI
Design Terminology
Personality
The personality of the application. Based upon
voice talent, prompting style and prose.
Prompting Styles
Open – general questions allowing for a
variety of responses
Directed – focused, with little room for thought
Mixed Initiative - response can be general or
specific, and the application acts accordingly
Tip #4 – Exporting .WAV Files
from the Prompt Database
ISSUE: Most people know you can import
WAV files into a prompt database, but
would also like to export recorded files for
reuse
SOLUTION:
Open the file in the Wave Editor
Select File -> Save prompts.promptdb As…
Choose your file format
Give the exported file a name
Tip #5 – Increase the Default
Recording Duration
ISSUE: The default duration of the
RecordSound control is 20 seconds. How
do I increase that amount?
SOLUTION: Adjusting the combination of
BabbleTimeout and/or MaxTimeout
properties.
MaxTimeout must be greater than or equal to
BabbleTimeout and EndSilence.
Typically, increasing BabbleTimout is
appropriate.
Tip #6 – Handling Failed
Outbound Calls
ISSUE: Outbound calls fail (no answer,
busy). There is no server-side event for
MakeCall:ConnectionFailed.
SOLUTION:
SemanticItem
Client-Side event that changes the value of
the SemanticItem
Server-Side event that responds to the
change of the SemanticItem
Tip #7 – Debugging DTMF
Input
ISSUE: My application uses DTMF in
conjunction with the RecordSound control.
How can I debug or view DTMF input?
SOLUTION: The Speech Debugging
Console has a DTMF tab. Enable the
break on the DTMF start to ensure
application pausing. You will be able to
view DTMF input and enter DTMF input
into the buffer.
Tip #8 – Faxing in a SpeechEnabled Application
ISSUE: I would like to implement a “fax-back”
service using the SASDK. Is this possible?
SOLUTION: This requires 3 programmatic tasks
–
Loading document titles, presenting the list to the user
and getting a selection. The DataTableNavigator
control can do this.
Get and confirm a fax number. The Phone Speech
Control can handle this task.
Passing off the request to a fax service. There are two
options –
Implementing the Fax Service Extended COM API using COM
Interop and Windows Server 2003. The .NET Speech Server
home on MSDN provides an example.
Using a third-party managed code fax solution.
Tip #9 – Controlling Memory
Demand with Multiple
Speech-Enabled Applications
ISSUE: Multiple applications cause increased
memory demand due to resources preloaded
into system memory.
SOLUTION: Create separate Speech Engine
Services configurations in MMC.
By default, a single configuration loads all resources
for all applications based on the “number of instances”
property in the configuration
By using separate configurations, a lesser-used
application could have a lower number of instances
setting and reduce memory consumption.
Tip #10 – Leverage
Knowledge Resources!
Speech Server Home
http://www.microsoft.com/speech
Speech Server on MSDN
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?
url=/library/enus/dnanchor/html/netspeechanchor.asp
Community
GotSpeech.net
http://www.gotspeech.net
Questions?
Thank You!