Tips on Voice Recognition
For accurate voice recognition, the software must receive clear, intelligible sound from the microphone. For this to happen, the microphone must be placed in an area where it receives relatively noise-free sound from the talker. The following guidelines will help you to get the best performance from your microphone and your voice recognition software.

- Place the microphone close to the talker. With the presence of background noise, the ratio of signal to noise picked up by the microphone decreases and the performance of the voice recognition software degrades. The noisier the room is, the closer the microphone must be placed to the talker to provide sufficient signal-to-noise ratio for good voice recognition. In most situations, a talker-to-mic distance of less than one foot is optimum. In noisy environments, the mic should be within 6 inches of the talker’s mouth for good results; a headworn, lavalier/tie-clip, or gooseneck-type microphone is usually the best choice.

- Use a directional microphone. Unidirectional microphones (referred to as noise-canceling by some manufacturers), which are less sensitive to sounds coming from the rear and sides, can help isolate your voice from ambient noise. Unidirectional microphones also help when the primary noise source is directly behind the microphone (such as the computer’s fan or hard drive). A unidirectional microphone aimed at the computer operator may still pick up noise from sources located behind the operator.

Unidirectional microphones also help when the primary noise source is directly behind the microphone (such as the computer’s fan or hard drive). A unidirectional microphone aimed at the computer operator may still pick up noise from sources located behind the operator.

- Use a windscreen or pop filter. Windscreens prevent air currents from the mouth from striking the microphone abruptly, which can cause a popping or thumping noise that cannot be interpreted by the voice recognition software. Unidirectional and condenser microphones are usually more.

Summary
There are many variables that must be considered when interfacing audio equipment to a computer sound input. Keep in mind that your computer might have a different input configuration than described here. If the technical information supplied with the computer or the sound card is unclear, call the manufacturer. In any case, the information presented in this document should help you to find a solution that works for your situation.

For Macintosh users, the NE Mic Audio Adapter acts as a preamp that will make most PC microphones work with Mac models equipped with PlainTalk circuitry. Contact Griffin Technology Corp. at (615) 255-0990 or www.griffintechnology.com/.

Our thanks to Shure for providing this excellent resource article. For more information, we highly recommend contacting Shure's Applications Engineering by calling 847-866-2525 or 800-516-2525, press 4. Shure also has a large archive of educational resources available at support@shure.com or by calling 847-866-2525.