Dual-Purpose Speech Mobile Calendaring Starner
<p>Dec 14, 2008 8:57 PM
 
We present an evaluation of dual–purpose speech, a technique
designed to provide support during a face–to–face conversation
by leveraging a user’s conversational speech for
input. With a dual–purpose speech interaction, the user’s
speech is meaningful in the context of a human–to–human
conversation while providing useful input to a computer. For
our experiment, we evaluate the ability to schedule appointments
with our calendaring application, the Calendar Navigator
Agent. We examine the relative difference between
using speech for input compared to traditional pen input on
a PDA. We found that speech is more direct and our participants
can use their conversational speech for computer
input. In doing so, we reduce the manual input needed to
operate a PDA while engaged in a calendaring conversation.
 
R: “Can we meet next week?”
P: “Sure, how about next Tuesday?”
The CNA shows next Tuesday.
R: “That would work. How about 2pm?”
P: “Ok, I’ll see you at 2”
The CNA creates the appointment at 2pm.
 
Our data suggests that novices can use the Calendar Navigator
Agent to control their mobile computer as part of a
calendaring conversation in normal discourse. While our
speech condition did not show a performance benefit, it did
result in a conversation where the participant held the conversational
floor longer. Speech input is also much more
direct than pen; our participants needed fewer navigations
during the scheduling dialog when using speech.
 
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