The effect of using voice generation and recognition systems on the performance of dual tasks

Abstract

This paper presents the results of two experiments examining the effect of voice generation and recognition systems on dual-task performance. In the first experiment subjects performed a task combination consisting of a spatial short-term memory task and a verbal short-term memory task. In the second experiment the subjects performed a combination consisting of a one-dimensional compensatory tracking task and the verbal short-term memory task used in experiment I. In both experiments, stimuli for the verbal short-term memory task were presented either visually on a CRT or auditorily using a voice generation system. Subjects responded either by using a keypad or by using a voice recognition system. A strictly between-subjects design was used in both experiments to avoid problems associated with asymmetric transfer. In both experiments the use of a voice generation system benefited dual-task performance. Experiment I showed no significant difference between speech responses and manual responses on any dependent measure. Experiment II showed significantly faster correct reaction times (RTs) for speech responses to the verbal short-term memory task only when the responses were adjusted for the delay inherent in the speech recognition system. The implications of these studies for the application of voice generation and recognition systems is discussed.