[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
|
To DC LUG, List DC LUG <list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 20190105 OT Voice operated computer control question. Help please re Mac Computers and an add-on app. 'Dragon speech' broken by MacOS upgrade 1 Short story An acquaintance is a former academic physicist whose subject is Quantum Physics. He now does part time (or rather to him full time unpaid) research in Quantum Physics from home, and still publishes and gets published the odd paper or two. Reason for no full time post is that he suffers from Motor Neuron Disease and has been left wheel chair bound with very little hand/arm movement, slight head movement, very little speak capability but OK if you listen, very hard, and almost no leg capability. He is cared for by his wife. 2 Problem. 2.1 He was totally dependent on a piece of voice control software. Software Outfit has been bought by a larger company, who have now stopped development of it for Mac Computers. It worked OK with MacOS 10.13 High Sierra, which is what he used on a MacOS MacBook. The software does not work at all with the MacOS 10.14 Mojave. This has left him in a bad position as he uses a Mac computer (model unknown to me) and it upgraded to MacOS 10.14 Mojave a month or so ago. He sent an appeal to me for information/help as to what he should do. 2.2 I investigated and deduced that the new owners of software have little profit from MacOS computer users, and have concentrated on Windows users and USA (very profitable) [and UK] Health market totally on Windows machines. 2.2.1.1 Owners: Nuance Communications, Inc., it obtained the software through multiple buy-up chain. website: https://www.nuance.com/en-gb/about-us.html 2.2.1.2 Software: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Systems 2.2.1.3 The MacOS version is called Dragon Professional Individual for Mac, version 6 or Dragon for Mac. ONLY works on MacOS 10.13 High Sierra 3 Dragon software is now only available for a Windows machine (Windows 10). To continue using it he would need to change machine type and operating systems. A big problem. 3.1 The inbuilt assisted communication app in the Mac OS ("VoiceOver") has both free and commercial offers. He has tried the one inside the MacOS and it is partly usable but has no "Cursor Grid". A necessity as he has no capability to move cursor by hand. 3.2 I have no access to Mac software of Mac store, as I do not use any Apple products. HELP REQUESTED. 3.2.1.1 Can anyone advise on alternative Voice Control software? 3.2.1.2 Is there any other voice control software in the Mac store? WINDOWS 4 If he changes to a Windows machine, he could use Dragon software, but all the other MacOS apps he uses are not there. He is firmly in MacOS walled garden. 4.1 Alternatives in Windows OS or Linux systems. 4.1.1 With a Windows machine, he could also, if necessary or as alternative, use a Live Linux "Knoppix" in its "ADRIANE" version. (Possibly dual boot via USB key)) This Linux Distro was developed by Hr Prof Dr Knopper for his wife to use as she has growing blindness. It can be used with Braille keyboard; but for sighted or head-possible movement folk it has when using a laptop camera a head tracking feature that gives a head operated cursor. Head movement can adjust and alter cursor and 'click'. You train it to user's head speed and movement capability. I used this and other simple FOSS voice command software for a stroke victim in recovery at my library tutoring sessions. However Knoppix ADRIANE is based on *the user being capable of some finger keyboard interaction*. Thanks in advance. Regards Eion MacDonald. 20190105 LUG request for help. Voice operated control. ODT.odt |
-- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG https://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq