Voice Recognition Phone System Doesn't Recognize Southern Drawls

AP Breaking News ^

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Nov 16, 2003

Southern Drawls Just Don't Get Recognized by Voice Recognition Phone System The Associated Press

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) - Southern drawls have thwarted voice recognition equipment used by the Shreveport Police Department to route non-emergency calls. A switchover to a lower-tech, touch-tone system - in which callers hear a voice recording they can respond to by pressing a different number for each division - is scheduled for Monday, said spokeswoman Kaycee Hargrave.

The voice-recognition system asked people to name the person or department they wanted. More often than not, the system just didn't understand, and they wound up at the wrong place, said Capt. John Dunn, who oversees police communications.

"In Louisiana, we have a problem with Southern drawl and what I call lazy mouth. Because of that, the system often doesn't recognize what (callers) say," he said.

Interim Chief Mike Campbell knows all too well how frustrating the voice recognition system can be.

"I can count on one hand when I have been transferred to where I've wanted to go, and I know the system. I can imagine how frustrating it would be for a citizen," he said.

AP-ES-11-16-03 1937EST

This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAOMJLS3ND.html

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I know there are some funny lines in here somewhere. Let's go guys!

[Callahan]

Luckily, CB radios continue to recognize Southern accents.

[Agnes Heep]

In the South a paramour is what you cut your grass with.

[Ragirl]

This is kind of funny....but Why can't they develop a system to recognize accents of all kinds? I'm sure that in New York city, there are plenty of accents that wouldn't be recognized either.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

"Officer Smith, cancel that kidnaping call. It was his lawn mower, not his girlfriend, that was taken."

[PeteFromMontana]

In a related story

PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL HOWARD DEAN WANTS ALL VOICES REPRESENTED IN VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEMS AND BLASTS PRESIDENT BUSH FOR FAILING TO DEMAND ACTION BY THE "VOICE RECOGNITION PEOPLE"

Howard Dean then sat down and started crying saying he just couldn't help saying stupid things.

[Larry Lucido]

I have a novel idea. How about someone actually answer the phone and ask who you want to talk to?

[Servant of the 9]

Obviously this is implicit racism.

Call the ACLU.

Is an accent a disability?

Can we sue?

So9

[ShadowDancer]

Geez, do you really need to go and act all lucid and sensical and screw everything up?

[freekitty]

So much for technology. I understand they can tell through some kind of brain scan if white, get it white, people are racist.

That's the dumbest thing I have ever heard of.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Voice Recognition Phone System

They tried that, but the 911 system had been outsourced to India and the folks in Bombay couldn't understand the southern drawls either!

[pointsal]

there are no crooks in the SOUTH, only good old boys

[shiva]

LOL! And everybody say, Amen!

[Capt. Tom]

I have a novel idea. How about someone actually answer the phone and ask who you want to talk to?

[tubebender]

...And that was the last anyone ever heard of James Carville...

[Larry Lucido]

LOL! Looks like someplace I used to work at!

[sweetliberty]

Well, obviously the system is racist and is aimed at intimidating southerners into conforming. NEVER!

[Theo]

There is voice recognition software that'll take into account different accents. Nuance, for example, has one.

I'd blame this problem on the developers, who should have known that the "users" would have accents....

Ted, a Voice User Interface developer....

[Skywalk]

As a temp, I worked at this company that had just landed a contract with HUD. Our job was to listen to voice mails left by people who were requesting brochures advertised in a national campaign by HUD.

Besides people who were obviously non-native English speakers, the most INCOMPREHENSIBLE messages(and keep in mind, they only left addresses and names) were left by Southerners(of various kinds.) I never heard anyone with a Midwestern accent that I couldn't understand, provided their voice was audible.

[herewego]

Amen, and pass the collards please.