About Digital Dictation

Canadian Courthouse Getting a Digital Makeover

2012-01-25T10:28:00.000-05:00

When the North Bay, Ontario courthouse had an analog recorder malfunction during its last sentencing, the Ministry of the Attorney General finally decided that it was time to think about getting digital voice recorders to replace the old cassette tapes.

According to The Nugget, a hearing for a pedophile was suspended for two hours after the cassette recorder that the courtroom used failed to work. The facility actually had two backup devices, but surprisingly, those failed to operate as well.

A few people, including the defense attorney, voiced concerns about the accuracy of the transcripts from the outdated cassette recorders. The lawyer also added that the delays are hindering the courtroom's productivity and could be an issue with clients as well, the news outlet added.

Brendan Crawley, ministry spokesperson, explained that the Ministry of the Attorney General is actually in the process of replacing all of the outdated devices around the province with brand new digital voice recorders and that the North Bay courthouse is expected to have its equipment replaced in the fall.

Paul Ross, of American Dictation Corp., can relate to this issue directly. "Analog parts and replacements are becoming nearly impossible to find" He goes on further to state: "There are two types of analog dictation and transcription users: those that are converting to digital, and those that will be converting to digital. It is just a matter of time before technology overcomes familiarity."

Digital Dictation Can Improve Patient Safety

2012-01-18T12:48:00.000-05:00

Safety and accuracy are at their most critical in medical environments. For this reason and many more, hospitals are continually seeking ways to reduce patient information errors and maintain airtight record-keeping. Digital dictation technology has proved especially useful to medical professionals, who are streamlining their intake procedures and reducing error rates by transitioning to paperless methods.

The Canberra Hospital in Australia was one such establishment to see improved results thanks to their digital information systems, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"One of the issues in hospital[s] is errors - either in understanding some of the data or in prescribing or giving the wrong medication," Health Minister Katy Gallagher told the news source. "It's [about] collecting all that clinical data, making sure our systems are as safe as they can be but also providing that information very quickly to all of the staff that work here."

Medical digital dictation solutions, such as those available from American Dictation, provide comprehensive online HIPAA compliant file transfer and management systems to help hospitals and clinics stay at the forefront of the industry.

Digital Dictation Helps Uphold the Integrity of Your Observations

2011-12-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

Professional writers are generally in the business of documenting details. Everything from the color of an interviewee's neck-scarf to the furrow of her brow must be noted and accounted for, and juggling multiple note-taking processes can often amount to an acrobatic feat.

Many writers have embraced the future, however, with technology such as digital recording . Digital dictation recorders make it possible to create high-fidelity recordings of an interview while freeing up the writer to jot down his impressions. It's also a great solution for anyone with a lot of ideas and little time to get them down on paper.

The Olympus DS-2400 Digital Voice Recorder is perfect for documenting long interviews or small notes while on the go. It comes with an exchangeable SD card that offers a vast recording capacity as well as the .ds2 file format for excellent sound quality and Dragon speech recognition compatibility.

Extremely portable and powerfully efficient, the Olympus DS-2400 will be faithful to your recordings and ensure that no word is lost to the static.

To learn more about digital dictation solutions, visit AmericanDictation.com.

Speech recognition technology is speeding up visits to the ATM

2011-10-03T10:31:00.000-04:00

If customers thought that touch-screens were revolutionary, they can now look forward to even more pleasant surprises when they visit their local ATM Machines. Some banks are now employing speech recognition technology where automatic cash transfer machines are concerned, according to TMCnet.

"The proliferation of remote banking channels and increased demand by consumers has driven the banking and insurance industries toward speech recognition and text-to-speech," the news source reports.

"Customers can use speech recognition and text-to-speech to access accounts, buy or sell shares, complete transactions and more."

The news source also points out that this hands-free feature is changing the way sight-impaired people access their funds.

Speech recognition technology has revolutionized the way that handicapped people perform their day-to-day tasks. With this hands-free feature, the hard of hearing are able to compose documents, enter commands and much more.

Professional speech recognition solutions are available from American Dictation Corp., a national leader in dictation, transcription and speech recognition technologies.

Desktop dictation eliminates the need to lift a finger

2011-09-26T15:57:00.000-04:00

Certain industries will probably always require professionals to work from their desks, but digital dictation solutions are easing the strain on wrists and fingers everywhere. Thanks to desktop dictation technology, many people are streamlining their work processes from the comfort of their chairs.

Desktop dictation solutions give professionals the ability to have the best of digital dictation technology in a package that fits conveniently on their desktops. Many of these solutions offer the highest fidelity and even greater ease of use, and with no need to type or handle a hand-held recorder, professionals can have their hands free to attend to other tasks.

Desktop dictation products are also capable of providing flexibility to the user, who can choose to use speech recognition software in tandem with his dictations, or set up a digital work flow to have his dictations transferred directly to his transcriptionist's computer. Professionals can have the unique ability to access files on their computers while performing their dictations, a task which is often made difficult when hand-held recorders and computer mouses are involved.

To learn more about desktop dictation solutions, visit AmericanDictation.com.

Schools with advanced typing curricula may begin teaching dictation.

2011-08-08T15:12:00.000-04:00

As the world becomes increasingly digitized, many schools are focusing less on handwriting lessons and are investing more resources into bringing kids up to speed on their typing. One feature that may begin to appear in such classrooms is digital dictation technology.

While it's important for all students to learn the basics of writing and typing, it's also crucial to introduce them at an early age to the technology that's shaping up to become a mainstay in the future. Digital dictation has changed the way that hospitals, law firms, law enforcement officials, corporations and government offices record their documents, and many consumers have streamlined their projects with the technology as well.

Digital dictation makes it possible to record your speech in a high-fidelity file format, and kids will profit from the ability to quickly and accurately take voice notes once they mature and take on heavier course loads.

To learn more about a digital dictation solution that may benefit your classroom, visit AmericanDictation.com.

New Upgrades with Dragon Naturally Speaking version 11.5

2011-08-05T10:03:00.000-04:00

Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11.5 - unveiled on June 13, 2011 - builds upon the drastically improved Dragon 11 platform. While Dragon 11 has set the standard for industry leading accuracy and performance, the new 11.5 version adds a variety of enhanced usability options and features.

Perhaps the most exciting new addition is the ability to implement any standard iPhone as a wireless microphone. By syncing an iPhone with the Dragon system, users will be able to bypass standard keystroke procedures and dictate directly into the computer - making it even easier to capture ideas on the fly.

Furthermore, Dragon 11.5 supports Facebook and Twitter format posting - a huge boon in today's social media-centric interactions. Round out the package with support for the latest new operating systems, digital recorders and software, plus enhancements to user profile creation, the Dragon Sidebar and other features, and it's plain to see how Dragon 11.5 can improve work-flow in any environment.

Professionals who were hesitant to try Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech-recognition software in the past would do well to give version 11.5 a shot. With increased usability and support, Dragon 11.5 can do much to streamline the workplace and raise efficiency to unprecedented levels.

All Dragon orders placed with American Dictation will automatically be sent the new Dragon 11.5 version.

Choosing the right digital voice recorder for the mobile professional

2011-07-14T12:25:00.000-04:00

More and more people are opting to work wherever and whenever they desire thanks to advances in technology. Because these individuals count on their devices to get their jobs done, their equipment needs to be reliable and able to handle large amounts of data.

Because there are so many digital recording devices available out on the market, you have to choose a recorder that will be hassle-free to operate. This means looking for one that is ergonomically designed to fit perfectly in your palm to ensure your comfort. Professionals who require portable digital voice recorders should also choose one that is durable and able to store hours of audio.

Besides the size and features of a voice recording device, its compatibility to your computer should also be a consideration when you examine your options. You will want something that you can easily plug into your system to conveniently transfer data for a faster transcription process.

One of the best selling devices on the market is the Olympus DS-5000 professional recorder. Capable of handling many hundreds of hours of dictations before downloading, the recorder also uses the .ds2 audio algorithm. Ds2 is the only audio format that we would recommend for use with Dragon NaturallySpeaking. The format does not lose quality on decompression and provides for the most accurate integration.

The Olympus AS-5000 is the transcription setup designed to work seamlessly with the DS-5000 dictation recorder.

Simply docking the recorder will prompt the automatic download of the voice files from the dictation device to the dictation software, which will route it to the AS-5000 transcription software. An automatic message appears for the typist alerting them of the arrival of new dictations.

Perhaps the greatest strength of the Olympus professional dictation and transcription line, is the price. The pricing of the new technology is comparable to the tape based recorders they are designed to replaced, making the choice to go digital even easier.

Additional information about Digital Dictation,Transcription and Speech Recognition is available at AmericanDictation.com.

Digital Dictation and Law Enforcement

2011-06-29T11:02:00.002-04:00

The prevalence of primetime TV police dramas such as "Law and Order" and "CSI" has glamorized much of the difficult work that law enforcement professionals encounter on a daily basis. When the glamor is removed, however, what's left is hard-nosed investigation and a true desire to protect and serve.

More than most industries, law enforcement is concerned with keeping a thorough and accurate record of the facts. Whether that means recording an important witness testimony, a difficult interrogation or a detective's attempt to piece together a seemingly scattered motive, it is necessary for law enforcement professionals to utilize cutting-edge technology in order to record important audio data at a moment's notice.

In the past, this meant the use of cumbersome tape-based technologies that were susceptible to damage and degraded over time. However, newer solid-state electronics boast vastly improved audio-quality and recorder technology.

The combination of reliability, cost-effectiveness and increased accuracy has made digital recorders an important tool for many industries. When concerning law enforcement, this technology can serve to greatly improve officials' effectiveness.
Interested in more in-depth reviews and information on digital transcription and dictation solutions? Then educate yourself at AmericanDictation.com.

Digital transcriptions can quickly provide medical data for research

2011-06-29T08:50:00.000-04:00

As more and more healthcare organizations begin to use digital transcription software, patient care is more efficient, with electronic medical records (EMRs) becoming the norm in the digital age. Not only are doctors and patients benefiting from this technology, researchers are also lauding the system as a way to easily collect data.

According to Information Week, researchers conveniently collected patient records, accurately identifying patients with diabetes and dementia, among other diseases. These kinds of studies are time-consuming and often require recruiting thousands of patients for health data.

Dr. Abel Kho, lead researcher for the study, explained to the news source that what's difficult about doing scientific medical researches is finding enough people to get the right results. "Now we've shown you can do it using data that's already been collected in electronic medical records and can rapidly generate large groups of patients," he added.

Thanks to digital transcription software, healthcare specialists can easily record patient evaluations and upload them as an EMR onto the organization's system.

With older, tape based systems, there was no link between the practitioners voice file, they final typed document, and the EMR. Now with digital technology, all three can be linked permanently.

Go pro with the Olympus DS-3400

2011-06-23T08:33:00.000-04:00

When reporters are out in the field interviewing people, they have to rely on equipment that won't fail them. The same goes for healthcare specialists who make use of voice recording devices for future transcribing. Professionals looking for the right recording equipment might want to check out the Olympus DS-3400.

The Olympus DS-3400 is an efficient device, perfect for those who are always on to go. As a part of its ergonomic design, the DS-3400 offers three buttons right at the front, which can be programmed and customized to function the way you want it to. The voice recorder also comes equipped with a 1GB SD memory card for hours of dictation.

The DS recorder comes with its own Player Pro Software as well, giving you the ability to quickly download your audio file for transcription, whether you are e-mailing the record or doing the transcribing right on your computer.

With the Olympus brand, you can be sure that you are getting one of the best handheld voice recorders on the market

Dragon NaturallySpeaking assists students at Landmark College

2011-06-14T12:21:00.000-04:00

Located in Putney, Vermont, Landmark College is a two-year liberal arts institution that serves students with dyslexia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and other diagnosed learning disabilities. In an attempt to put the recent advances in voice-recognition technology to good use, Landmark staff decided to implement Dragon NaturallySpeaking software into the students' curriculum in order to assist with many of the tasks students are commonly called upon to complete.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a program that allow users to create and format text documents such as email and reports via voice-activated dictation rather than using a standard keyboard. This sort of technology can greatly assist students who have difficulty concentrating on correct spelling and appropriate formatting, as well as those who are physically or mentally incapable of interacting with a standard keyboard.

“A student in our summer program was struggling with his writing to the point where one of his teachers would have to fill in every fifth word or so in his papers,” says Kathy Burris, Assistive Technology Coordinator and Educator. “After training on Dragon for approximately one hour and fifteen minutes, this student was able to go to the computer lab and complete a high quality, six-page paper."

It's clear to see that Dragon NaturallySpeaking is an incredible breakthrough in speech recognition technology. As the requirements of students change with the times, software like NaturallySpeaking can help bring the benefits of technology to those who need it most.

The Digital Recording Revolution.

2011-06-10T08:33:00.000-04:00

When the North Bay, Ontario courthouse had an analog recorder malfunction during its last sentencing hearing, the Ministry of the Attorney General finally decided that it was time to think about getting digital equipment to replace the old cassette based system.

According to The Nugget, a hearing for a pedophile was suspended for two hours after the cassette recorder that the courtroom used failed to work. The facility actually had two backup devices, but surprisingly, those failed to operate as well.

A few people, including the defense attorney, voiced concerns about the accuracy of the transcripts from the outdated cassette recorders. The lawyer also added that the delays are hindering the courtroom's productivity and could be an issue with clients as well, the news outlet added.

Brendan Crawley, ministry spokesperson, explained that the Ministry of the Attorney General is actually in the process of replacing all of the outdated devices around the province with brand new digital voice recorders and that the North Bay courthouse is expected to have its equipment replaced in the fall.

This is just one example of the problem with aging analog equipment still in use today. Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, or resistance to change, many organizations cling to this outdated technology.

"We usually get calls only when there is a catastrophic failure such as happened in North Bay" states Paul Ross, of American Dictation Corp. "It is when the analog equipment fails, and they realize there are few repair parts available, that they start to search for alternatives".

The good news is that today's digital recording technology is both affordable and easy to implement and use. In many cases, the equipment costs less that it's analog counterparts did over a decade ago. When you consider the relatively low cost, and the advances in technology, the decision to switch to digital is an easy one to make.

Choose the best microphone for your next conference or meeting recording.

2011-06-09T08:40:00.000-04:00

You may have the best digital recorder on the market, but if your input device isn't working properly, you might as well manually type what you are saying.

A microphone is necessary to capture voices, but just any microphone won't do. Microphones designed properly will have the ability to record what you want, and suppress background noise that is unwanted.

If you want an effective conference microphone, you may want to look into the Voice Tracker Array Microphone.

The Voice Tracker Array Microphone is the only microphone on the market to currently employ Location Dependent Squelch technology, a feature that reduces the impact of noise from areas outside its field. The mic not only filters background noise, its technology also allows it to focus specifically on the talker for that clear recording sound.

With a range exceeding 30 feet, the voice tracker is actually an array of microphones that focus on the source of sound in mere milliseconds, to accurately capture voices from multiple locations in a room.

This microphone is especially effective in board rooms, or town hall meetings, where you wish to capture audience input, but do not want to hard wire the room. Placed on the head table facing the audience or presenters, it will pick up the whole room accurately and effectively.

When used in conjunction with table top omni-directional microphones, such as the Philips 9172, you will create an affordable, formidable conference recording system, for a fraction of the cost of an energy hogging, hard wired system.

Additional information about cost effective conference or meeting recording can be found at American Dictation, a national leader in dictation, transcription, speech recognition and conference recording technologies.

Dictate with ease with the Grundig Digta SonicMic II

2011-06-01T10:02:00.000-04:00

In a health facility such as a hospital or a clinic, specialists often spend a lot of their time using dictation equipment to record diagnoses as well as identifying and determining reasons for a patient's illness. Many have also adopted speech recognition to directly dictate into their EMR or EHR programs.

A great addition to both methods is the Grundig Digta SonicMic II, a handheld microphone that can be used to dictate directly into dictation software, and is an excellent quality USB microphone for use with Dragon Medical.

Grundig is a leader in superior audio products that has ranked among the world's best for over 60 years. Recently entering the American market, they have begun to make significant inroads due to their unsurpassed quality and workmanship.

The SonicMic II is one of the newest in Grundig's line of state-of-the-art devices that allows for a more streamlined process in creating and transcribing medical records. With the included DigtaSoft dictation software, recording and routing dictations to their appropriate destination is a breeze.

The device features an ergonomically designed black casing that's both stylish and efficient. The mic is composed of extra wide slide switches for ease-of-use, and the front buttons are easily programmable to give you greater control and speed. Just plug it into the PC using its plug-and-play compatible USB connector and you're ready for your dictating session.

Additional information about the Grundig line of products, as well as speech recognition applications can be found at AmericanDictation.com.

Digital transcription software makes for a more efficient healthcare industry

2011-05-31T09:47:00.000-04:00

D igital transcription software has come a long way over the last few years. While there are many different ways to use the tool, it's implementation in the healthcare industry is particularly inspiring, and has changed the way that many hospitals and clinics record and utilize patient data.

Doctors have many appointments daily, and each patient exhibits different symptoms, allergies and diagnoses. In order to avoid mishaps or complications, physicians must keep track of all known patient information, along with accurate records of each appointment. This undertaking requires a large amount of time and manpower. Consequently, hospitals employ specially-trained transcription specialists to receive and process the multitude of dictations from physicians

Before the advent of digital transcription equipment, most practitioners used a tape based system that was subject to poor audio quality and frequent breakage. In addition, confidential patient data was often transported form the physician, to the typist. Today's privacy laws prohibit this insecure data storage.

Digital solutions can automatically download, encrypt and sent the dictations via e-mail, or secure FTP. This capability is not only more efficient, but also much more secure to meet today's strict HIPAA requirements.

It's clear to see that digital transcription software can make the healthcare industry more efficient both in record keeping and workforce placement. Many hospitals who use this software have lauded its ability to pay for itself with the savings generated by a reduce workload. As we move into the future of healthcare, digital transcription will likely remain the preferred method of record-keeping for years to come.

Pocket voice recorders enable physicians to keep accurate records

2011-05-24T11:45:00.000-04:00

Health experts often advise patients to tape their conversations with their doctors, especially if they’re undergoing continuous treatments for a specific condition or considering a surgical procedure. However, during these conversations the doctors themselves often rely on their memories and handwritten notes for their personal record keeping.

Medical professionals who wish to maintain more comprehensive and accurate patient records should consider investing in a digital recording device such as a pocket voice recorder. As long as patients are comfortable being recorded, the tool allows for accurate tracking of diagnoses, discussions of treatment options and recommendations for preventative care for future reference.

The Phillips Digital Pocket Memo 9600 is ideal for this purpose. The product comes complete with a USB docking station, a power supply, a SD card and SpeechExec Pro Dictate Software. The sleek and compact item can easily slip into the pocket of a lab coat, and be quickly turned on with the 4-position slide switch.

Turn to AmericanDictation.com for a detailed product review and more information regarding a variety of additional digital transcription and dictation solutions.

Digital dictation in the Legal Field.

2011-05-16T11:06:00.002-04:00

More and more law firms are realizing that they don't have to be restricted by the physical constraints of not only their physical location but also the devices that they are using.

Legal Dictation Technology has evolved in the past few years, creating sophisticated, yet simple to use, Dictaphones and software that allow many professionals to easily dictate whenever and wherever. Lawyers can even create documents by voice, using speech recognition applications, such as Dragon Legal.

Gone are the days of lawyers dictating legal jargon directly to their assistants as they type or write away, trying to catch up with what they are hearing. As out of place in today's legal environment as shorthand is analog, or cassette technology. Legal secretaries no longer have to struggle with stretched, inaudible tapes, or even worse, tapes that are broken and contain important information.

These days, digital dictation devices can easily record hours and hours of audio time into a tiny SD card about the size of a quarter. Transcription has also become a breeze. Digital technology creates true to life sound, that ensures accuracy and speed in transcribing. Voice files can be played slower or faster without the major sound distortion of analog tapes.

The sound quality is of such high quality on today's digital dictation machines, that the recorder voice dictations can actually be run directly though Dragon Legal Speech Recognition Software with a high degree of accuracy. The legal Secretary then just needs to format and edit the transcribed document, saving time and money.

Shockproof Digital Dictaphone for those on the go.

2011-05-13T13:20:00.000-04:00

Not everyone works in the comfort of an office - many professionals are always on the go, which means that their digital recorders have to be able to withstand accidents and any potential falls. For individuals with jobs requiring them to record in many locations, the Grundig Digta 7 Dictation Recorder may just be the right choice for you.

The durability of Grundig Digta 7 comes from it's shockproof black matte casing that is as stylish as it is practical. Besides the shock-resistant shell, the device also comes equipped with a sensor that automatically saves an ongoing recording when it detects that the unit is dropped. This is an extreme level of data protection that exemplifies the high standard of engineering that this German company employed in the creation of the Digta 7.

Grundig, has been a fixture in the European dictation and transcription market since 1945, and is now introducing its line of dictation devices and transcribers to the American market. Sure to be a hit among legal and professional users alike, this digital dictaphone has all of the features of it's largest competitors, with a lot of useful extras.

The addition of a stereo 3.5mm microphone jack allows this unit to double as a conference recording kit with the addition of a Y-splitter and omni-directional table top microphones. This two channel recording ability sets the Digta 7 in a league of it's own. No other digital dictation unit that records in the industries best dictation format (.ds2), also doubles as a competent conference recorder.

Additionally, the digital voice recorder is packed with other features that active professionals can appreciate. The device comes with a 2GB internal memory for 300 hours of audio recording. The Digta 7 also supports supplemental SD cards of up to 32 GB, for increased capacity.

Uploading your data to your computer for transcription is made easy with the DigtaSoft Pro software, included with the recorder. All you have to do is connect the USB cable and the process of transferring the voice file to your transcriptionist via network share or e-mail is automatic.

Those in the market to enter the digital age, or looking for the latest and greatest in dictation technology should take comfort in choosing the Digta 7.

Apple to purchase Nuance- Could it be true?

2011-05-11T12:13:00.000-04:00

For months now, there has been speculation that Apple has been in negotiations to purchase Nuance, the makers of Dragon NaturallySpeaking, the voice recognition software that we sell, use, and love here at American Dictation.

Rumors have been swirling since Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak's premature (and later retracted) announcement of the deal in November of last year. Those rumors now appear to be gaining traction.

Certainly Apple has the cash reserves to to absorb Nuance (reported market value in excess of 6 billion), but does an outright acquisition make sense?

Last year, Apple took over Siri, Inc, a company that markets a "virtual assistant" app on iOS devices, whereby a user can ask the application a question and the application furnishes an answer. Who provides the speech recognition engine that drives Siri? - Nuance, of course. To further the accuracy, usability, and adoption of Siri, a deal with Nuance would appear to be in Apple's best interests.

A "deal" however could simply mean expanding the licensing of Nuance's technology for use with iOS, a step far short of an outright acquisition. This approach may make more sense to Apple, whose CEO Steve Jobs is notoriously averse to overpaying. Nuance, a publicly traded company is near it's all time high valuation.

What would an acquisition mean for the Medical, Legal and Professional Market? Hopefully a more developed Dragon for use with Apple computers. Since Nuance's acquisition of MacSpeech, we have seen improvements on the consumer end, with Dragon Dictate for Mac, but so far, nothing for MacSpeech Medical or Legal.

Using speech recognition on a Mac has never been as seamless or intuitive as on a PC. With many in the medical field migrating to Apple's products for their simplicity and reliability, any deal that would bridge the gap between the technologies would be a welcome addition to be sure.

For now, however, we must let the rumors swirl, and wait patiently with the rest of the industry for the slow dance of the industry giants to come to an end, and make a public announcement.

American Dictation Corp. is a national leader in conference recording, dictation, transcription and speech recognition technologies.

Record in style with the new Zoom H2 Portable Recorder

2011-05-11T10:59:00.000-04:00

If you are in need of a new general recording device, you might want to check out the new Zoom H2 Portable Recorder, a stylish gadget that you can carry with you wherever you may go
.

The Zoom H2's design is reminiscent of old ribbon microphones used by disc jockeys and announcers of the past. It may have been for nostalgic purposes, but the construction of the device actually had ergonomics in mind. The intuitive interface allows for one-button recording - all you have to do is press the red dot in the middle. The large display screen also gives you important information about the recording. For those who may get tired of constantly holding their devices, the Zoom H2 also comes with a desktop stand so you can make good use of your hands.

I use this as a standalone recording device for small meetings on a standard conference table. It has the ability to record in a 360 degrees, allowing a user to place it on the table, on it's included screw-in base, and capture all conversation in high quality audio. The main benefits of this system are the lack of wires, and the fact that the microphone element is raised off of the table, avoiding papers sliding over the unit, causing noise and interference. As well as looking great, the recorder can capture up to around 8 speakers around a table with great accuracy.

Besides its design, the device's features are also advantageous to any professional in need of an all-around recording device. With a 1GB SD card included, you can actually expand up to 16GB for hundreds of hours of audio recording.

In addition, the recorder can be uses as a high quality direct input microphone when plugged directly into a computer via USB port. This allow the unit to be used for direct recording, Skype, and many other applications.

Additional Information is available at American Dictation Corp., we are a national leader in recording, dictation, transcription, and speech recognition technology.

ASU's biomedical informatics adopting electronic medical records/digital dictation

2011-05-09T15:16:00.001-04:00

Arizona State University's Department of Biomedical Informatics will be switching the medical files housed in the department to electronic medical records (EMR) in an effort to reduce the amount of paper used by the department as well as improve the efficacy of patient file-sharing.

According to the school's website, the move is being funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which gave the institution a $1.5 million grant. The EMR system will allow specialists in the department to share and upload patient information in a local area network.

At the same time, the grant will also fund the purchase of digital dictation devices and software that will make it easier for healthcare providers to conveniently transcribe audio recordings of patient evaluations or any other notes. The transcribed data can then be transferred into the EMR for quick access and reference in the future.

The school adds that incorporating an EMR system into the institution's infrastructure will help reduce the possibility of medical errors due to misread data, and the technology can eventually make healthcare more efficient as it's adopted around the country.

The importance of speech recognition

2011-05-09T13:02:00.000-04:00

Do you remember watching those futuristic movies with people using voice commands in their spaceships? It may still be years away before we can purchase our own spaceships, but speech recognition is a reality that's being used in many facilities around the world.

Besides commanding computer systems to perform various tasks with the use of your voice, speech recognition programs are more importantly used in the medical and legal fields to transcribe audio data into text. Speaking is a faster way of generating data as opposed to writing and translating audio to text can be time-consuming if done manually. At the same time it is harder to index and store recorded data as opposed to text, which can easily be filed and searched.

In a healthcare system, for example, specialists can quickly dictate symptoms or treatment options into a digital voice recorder. This data can then be transcribed and added into the patient's electronic medical records, which will be available in the healthcare provider's computer system.

For lawyers, talking is their job, and implementing speech recognition programs into their daily responsibilities offers a kind of efficiency that's unmatched.

One of the Greatest benefits of speech recognition programs, however, is the ability to store your recorded speech as part of the permanent record. This can be extremely effective in a trial or arbitration setting, where you can actually play back your voice record to match it up with the typed document.

Financial professionals, such as RIA's and other investment advisors can especially benefit from accurate records as they can become evidence in future arbitration situations.

Capture sound that's crystal clear with an omnidirectional microphone.

2011-05-05T15:46:00.002-04:00

Professionals who've been to many boardroom meetings understand that once that door is closed, conversations can come from all around the room. When recording such instances, it is integral that you have the best when it comes to recording devices.

An omni-directional microphone records sounds from a full 360 degree radius around the device. For many conference recording needs, the ME30W, made by Olympus fits the bill perfectly.

Attached to any stereo recording device with standard 3.5mm input plugs, the ME30w will provide a true-to life digital recording of your meeting or event. By recording in stereo, when you listen back to the recorded meeting using transcription software, you can actually "split the signal" so that you can listen to voices from one side of the table, then listen to those emanating from the other side. This greatly reduces problems trying to decipher what people said caused due to "over-speak", and allows for a much more accurate transcription.

Besides great sound quality, the Olympus microphones feature mini tripods so that you can elevate your devices even higher for better capturing capabilities. This also avoid some of the noise associate with papers shuffling over the microphones, as can occur with a standard table-top condenser microphone.

The Olympus ME 30w is always available at www.AmericanDictation.com, a national leader in recording, transcription and speech recognition technology.

Instantly Increase your Dragon Medical Productivity with the Powermic II

2011-05-05T09:20:00.000-04:00

Dragon Medical speech recognition software is a sophisticated program used by many medical practitioners as an integral tool for creating and updating patient records. To harness its full potential, a microphone such as the Dictaphone PowerMic II should be used along with it.



Designed specifically for Dragon NaturallySpeaking Medical, the PowerMic II provides users with unmatched quality and user customization. The device was ergonomically designed with the user in mind, offering a simple single-hand thumb-control operation in order to effectively dictate into and EMR in a simple, intuitive manner.

Many speech recognition users do not understand that speech recognition applications require very high quality input to perform optimally.   The headset-microphone that comes with many Dragon NaturallySpeaking products plugs in to your computer's sound card via a 3.5mm plug. Therefore, your input quality is only as good as your internal sound card. This can cause accuracy problems, especially when used with laptop or notebook computers, where the sound card is often small. lightweight, and low quality.

As the only handheld microphone developed by Nuance specifically for Dragon Medical, the programming of the PowerMic II is made extremely simple by creating a tab in your Dragon software where you can easily choose what you would like each button to do. This feature alone makes the PowerMic II a formidable competitor.

The PowerMic II's integrated trackball, allows the practitioner to easily manipulate the cursor, allowing dictation into an EHR's multiple data fields.   This feature alone can increase productivity dramatically, as the user does not need to manipulate the mouse, freeing up a hand for sorting through notes, or reviewing patient histories.

These features are conveniently bundled together in a sleek black casing that's easy on both the eyes and the hand.

The device can be easily installed on PCs running most Windows operating systems, including XP, Vista and Window 7. It utilizes a standard USB connection, ensuring immediate plug-and-play compatibility with the majority of computers.

Any Dragon Medical user, or those adding Dragon Medical to their stable of productivity tools should consider the PowerMic II a must have.

Additional information about the Dictaphone PowerMic II, or Dragon Medical can visit www.AmericanDictation.com or call 1-866-408-1383 to speak to one of the experts about your needs.