CRIBBAGE VOX - Voice Interactive Cribbage
WELCOME
HALSWARE presents
Cribbage VOX uses the proprietory algorithms and user interface of HALSCRIB, the
premier computer cribbage program. It implements the Speech Application
Programming Interface (SAPI 5) for Speech Recognition
and Voice Synthesis technology developed by Microsoft.
It permits people who are physically or visually impaired or anyone
to enjoy playing Cribbage hands-free against a state-of-the art computer opponent.
Cribbage VOX will recognize voice commands that are defined in its
cribbage-specific custom speech "grammar" vocabulary file. Mary a
female speaker, or Mike a male speaker are selectable voices in pre-Vista
systems. Anna is the only speaker currently available in Vista.
Requirements:
- pre-Vista
- Microsoft SAPI 5.1 for Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP
- required SAPI 5.1 components will be installed by Cribbage VOX
- Vista
- Service Pack 1 installed
- Microsoft SAPI 5.3 is part of Vista!
- 'close-mouth' microphone - NOT included
- 'training' of SAPI from your audible speech
- Pre-Vista
- select Speech in Control Panel (Classic View)
- confirm 'Language' is Microsoft Speech Recognizer v5.1
- select configure microphone
- complete Microphone Wizard
- select Train Profile ...
- complete Voice Training session(s)
- select Text to Speech tab
- use 'Voice selection' to select a speaker
- select 'Preview Voice'
- adjust 'Voice Speed' as desired
- Vista
- select Speech Recognition in Control Panel
- select Start Speech Recognition
- select Set up microphone
- position microphone
- adjust the volume
- select Take Speech Tutorial
- learn fundamentals of speech recognition
- learn basic commands
- select Train your computer ...
- Welcome
- Read training text
- select Advanced Speech Options
- confirm 'Language' is Microsoft Speech Recognizer 8.0
- select Text to Speech tab
- confirm Microsoft Anna in 'Voice selection'
- select 'Preview Voice'
- adjust 'Voice speed' as desired
- select 'Preview Voice'
- 'Apply', then 'OK'
The principle behind voice interaction is correct recognition of your commands
by the speaker. The speaker will respond if it can match your command
with those specified in its 'grammar' vocabulary.
VOX has a "learning curve". Improved recognition of your commands
will occur with additional Voice Training sessions and your experience.
The more often correct interpretations of your commands occur, the better its
recognition will be in the future.
Identifying and selecting/playing candidates are the most common commands.
The speaker will echo an identification and its selection or play, if these
commands were correctly recognized.
Identify - Select / Play Commands
- suit rank [identify a card for discarding or pegging play]
- select candidate [confirms identified card as a discard candidate]
- release candidate ["deselect" a confirmed discard candidate]
- discard candidates [discard two selected candidates]
- play candidate [make a pegging play]
Basic Dialog Command Sequence
Voice Verbose Mode
VOX - Welcome to Voice Interactive Cribbage [intialization dialog start]
VOX - Say Begin Session
You - Begin Session
VOX - I am ready
You - New Game
VOX - Good luck [intialization dialog end]
VOX - I deal
You - Tell me mine [required after every deal]
VOX - You have [example hand with VOX as dealer]
- Ace of spades
- 5 of hearts
- 5 of diamonds
- 6 of clubs
- 7 of hearts
- 8 of hearts
You - spade Ace [identify candidate]
VOX - Ace of spades identified
You - select candidate
VOX - Ace of spades, first discard
You - heart 8 [identify candidate]
VOX - 8 of hearts identified
You - select candidate
VOX - 8 of hearts, second discard
You - discard candidates [candidates discarded]
VOX - starter is the 4 of hearts, waiting for you to play
You - heart 5 [identify candidate]
VOX - You selected the 5 of hearts
You - play candidate [candidate played]
VOX - You played the 5 of hearts, 5
VOX - 9 of spades, 14
You - diamond 5 [select candidate]
VOX - You selected the 5 of diamonds
You - play candidate [candidate played]
VOX - You played the 5 of diamonds, 19
VOX - 8 of spades, 27, and peg 1 for the go
You - club 6 [select candidate]
VOX - You selected the 6 of clubs
You - play candidate [candidate played]
VOX - You played the 6 of clubs, 6
VOX - 6 of spades, 12, and peg 2 for the pair
You - heart 7 [select candidate]
VOX - You selected the 7 of hearts
You - play candidate [candidate played]
VOX - You played the 7 of hearts, 19
VOX - 7 of clubs, 26, 2 for the pair, and 1 for the go, total is 3
You - continue
VOX - continuing
VOX - Your hand points, 10
You - continue
VOX - continuing
VOX - My hand points, 8
You - continue
VOX - continuing
VOX - My crib points, 2
You - Tell me crib
VOX- Starter is the 4 of hearts
- Queen of hearts
- King of diamonds
- Ace of spades
- 8 of hearts
- The crib has 2 points
You - continue
VOX - continuing
VOX - Your deal
Enhanced Dialog Commands
- Game Over
- log game [saves game log]
- Help
- help answer [when no response from VOX]
- help begin [game interaction basics]
- help candidate [candidate identification/selection basics]
- help commands [basic 'help commands']
- help candidate [candidate identification/selection basics]
- help discard [discards identification/selection basics]
- help peg [pegging identification/play basics]
- help speak [overcome candidate identification/selection problems]
- help tell [basic 'tell commands']
- Tell
- tell me count [pegging count (and last card played)]
- tell me crib [crib]
- tell me mine [your hand]
- tell me yours [VOX's hand]
- tell me shortcut [card identification shortcuts]
- tell me something [what to say next]
- tell me time [current date and time]
- Voice Interaction Control
- stop speaking [turns Voice Recognition off]
- resume speaking [turns Voice Recognition on]
- help disable [turns off recognition of 'Help commands']
- help enable [turns on recognition of 'Help commands'
- voice terse [reduces speaker's echo dialog]
- Command Shortcuts
- first [identify lowest card in play]
- last [identify highest card in play]
- any rank [identify any rank in play]
- the rank [identify any rank in play]
- any [identify any card in play]
- select [confirm identified card as a discard]
- release [identified card no longer a discard]
- play [play identified card in pegging]
- continue [after pegging play ends]
Vista Voice System Commands
- cancel [closes drop-down Aternative Echo Selection Window]
- close [closes Cribbage VOX immediately]
- start listening ['wakes up' speaker to visually echo your voice commands]
- stop listening ['puts speaker asleep' so that only 'start listening' will be recognized ]
Do not expect a correct response from VOX 100% of the time.
Just as in human voice interaction, you may mishear something in
conversation and say "Excuse me. I didn't understand you.
What did you say?" when distracted or background noise obscures or interferes with
your listening.
So it is with SAPI. "Background noise" occasionally is
interpreted as one of your commands, or modifies it to become unrecognizable.
For this reason we recommend a good quality close-mouth microphone with noise reduction capability.
On Vista, launching HALSCRIB automatically launches the 'Microphone Listening Window'.
When the speaker is 'awake', an 'echo' of your spoken word commands are displayed visually.
Close-mouth / Headset Microphones
Microphone technology continues to improve for use with speech recognition. The following are manufaturers in alphabetic order.
Andrea - mon-aural and stereo microphone headsets for speech recognition and telephony
Emkay - conventional and wireless headsets and microphones with excellent noise
cancellation characteristics
LogiTech - internet and PC gaming headsets
Shure - microphone headsets
VXI - microphone headsets for speech recognition
CRIBBAGE VOX on CD is available for $75 USD shipping and handling included.
Discounts available for Veterans of the Armed Forces of NATO, and the physically or visually disabled.
E-mail halscrib@yahoo.com
for other payment options, or if you have any comments, recognition problems, or questions.