Voice command software with Revit

[Martin P]

Not sure if this is out there, or general but I'll post here anyway.

I have been getting pretty sore wrists and weakness lately and having bought wrist rests etc and still suffering I wondered if anbody had tried using Voice recognition with Revit yet? I got the headsets and software with a new soundcard I bought some time ago - Game commander 2. It appears to only accept single keystrokes or Alt, Shift and keystroke..... So first question is can I set up Alt, Shift etc and keystroke in Revit? say "alt w" for wall - If not the second question is does anybody know of good cheap voice recognition software that will do say "WA" if I say wall.... What I really,really want is something that will do mouse clicks for me, say I make "click" noise or even better just quietly blow into the mike or something and it will do clicks for me, that would be a life saver at the moment. I dont know how many mouse clicks I do in any day but it must be thousands, I am only 29 and getting sore wrists already really worries me, I cant imagine how bad it will be when I am 59.....I dont make as much use of the keyboard as I did with autocad, it seems to be the excessive mouse clicking that is the problem. I have even started getting twitching mouse fingers at night when I am finished, it is very unpleasant. So any ideas are welcome - even footpedals if it comes to it!!

I probably wont be doing this in the office as I would drive everybody nuts, I will mostly do this at home. Hopefully if it works out I wont end up walking about clicking and saying "open" to doors ;) But I want to do something before I end up with carpal tunnel or something horrible like that.... BTW trackballs are not good, I have used one for several years and the very small movements with fingers only are bad news.....

[GuyR]

Martin,

Have you tried a tablet? The new Intuos3 from Watcom has programmable keys in addition to the tablet.

HTH,

Guy

[FK]

I remember general-purpose voice software could control the mouse (up 10, left 50, left-click...) Since it could not deal with my accent, I gave up. ;-)

Other ideas: take a look at Fingerworks (http://fingerworks.com). I can't bring myself to cough up the cash, but it may be justified...

I had wrist symptoms a couple years ago, dealt by simply switching mouse to left hand for a while.

And the general advice: you are probably overflexing some muscles. Try to find which ones, and why. Check posture too.

[BillyGrey]

I had aching wrist from mouse clicking. No more. The Wacom tablet is the way to go.
Tap a stylus lightly instead of constant clicking. Scroll/zoom mouse wheel with your left hand. It's a good deal better than the old way for me. You've heard it before, they take some getting used to for sure, but once your up to speed, you won't look back. Then I'm gonna get a space mouse, or maybe one of those cool looking finger gizmo's Fedor mentioned (way cheaper)for the left paw. Program in a bunch of function keys, then the only time I'll lift a hand is to type a message to leave on this board ;)

I'm also playing with a little macro recorder that will record repetitive keystrokes and execute them in one go. That little gizmo also automatically closes nuisance pop-up dialogs as you program it to automatically (!). http://www.tlhouse.co.uk/PTFBPro/download.shtml

[Stuart Powell]

I am so sorry to hear of your problems. I did building work years ago and ill health forced a change on me. Your problem is probably coming from your spine and you are suffering "referred pain". Although you feel the pain in your wrists it stems from strain on part of your spine. I have had some of this trouble but I reduced the problem by having my mouse and keyboard on a slide out tray on which I can rest my elbows. My desk is also propped up higher than normal.
It is also important to get up frequently and move around do not let the bosses keep you pinned to your desk. Remember they need you more than you need them- they cannot manipulate a complex programme they can only bark orders.
YOU must be one of the most important people in your company because of what you do and they must find funds to provide what you require.After all they think nothing of spending £20,000+ on a car for some Slick Willy company representative.
As some consolation you could be stuck with using ADT like me ( I am not brave enough to jump)

Best wishes
Stuart

[Henry D]

I just had an email from a friend about his voice recognition program which you could check out and see how it works with Revit, he said:

"The program that I'm using, which I think is the best, is ScanSoft's Dragon Naturally Speaking 8, Preferred, which costs around $200 with shipping and handling. There are also specialized editions for doctors and lawyers which cost around $1000. You can also run your entire computer by voice, opening and closing files and programs, sending, saving, etc.. It has 99% accuracy, and you can easily train it to recognize your own specialized words and phrases."

[rhys]

you could be stuck with using ADT like me ( I am not brave enough to jump)

Best wishes
Stuart
Jump Stuart Jump if you can, maybe somone will catch.

[david.kingham]

After using the tablet for 2 weeks my wrist pain is completly gone and it was pretty severe pain before that

[Stuart Powell]

Jump Stuart Jump if you can, maybe somone will catch.

As a fellow welshman I thank you but I made a terrible mistake when ADT 2004 came out .I thought of changing then but thought Hey why learn a completely new system and new version promised to integrate with Viz more seemlessly.
What I did not realise that ADT 2004 was radically different and I had to relearn anyway.Now I am so far along and struggling with Project Navigator that I just have not got the will or confidence to set up again from scratch.
I am sure I represent a significant number who think like me and can only hope that Autodesk will move ADT closer to Revit so that the jump will be just a small step for man.

I never got to do renders by the way still trying to make good models

Best wishes
Stuart

[Martin P]

The Tablet sounds very interesting, is it the "intuos" that you recommend?

I have seen dragon dictate it looks to be a good option. The fingerworks thing looks interesting for use in the office, but I cant help thinking it looks like a lot of wrist movements, though that may be a good thing as they are larger movements, the combined keyboard/mouse thing looks like a great idea, I can just imagine somebody else going to the computer to use it LOL - I will look into that more and readf some reviews. I think I will be choosing between that and the tablet - if it comes to cost then fingerworks is much cheaper! A combination of either of these with voice typing could be a very powerful tool.......

Re stopping - I have set up reminders on outlook to go off every hour reminding me to stop and am now doing that. The only problem I have really is that I am drinking loads more coffee now, as its about all I can do when I stop! - In my office my job consists almost 100% of PC work, I dont do filing, printing etc and rarely go on site or surveys either. I must admit apart from the sore wrists this suits me fine. I will have a good look into the Wacom tablets.

[PeterJ]

If anyone has a trackball you could try that too, Martin. I don't spend as much time at the PC as you do but I find them much better because you aren't moving your wrsit in the same way, just your fingers. Won't save on the clicks though.

I have IBM's via voice and it works okay for dictation, albeit with an awful lot of errors, but I never investigated voice control of other software.

[Thomas Cummings]

I would caution my fellow Reviteers to make sure that while using voice command software that they never yell at the software, e.g., "What the Hell, Revit!", lest some covert operation at Graphisoft records your tirade and it ends up as a mp3 on the Archicad website. ;<)

Martin, for what it's worth, here is my set up. I have a large slide out tray that carries my 9 x 12 Intuous and Logitech Trackman Marble. This comes out over my legs and bumps my belly setting me at my 45 yr old focal length to dual 21 in crt's. Above that and residing on the desk in front of the monitors is the keyboard on a mounting board that tilts it up about 10 -15 degrees. When Reviting or SketchUping I am mostly using the stylus with a little mousework and keyboard entries thrown in. When a greater amount of typing is required, right now for example, I bring the keyboard down and rest its felt bottomed mount on the Intuous. As an aside I wouldn't purchase the 9 x 12 if i had it to do over again. In fact I have it set up to reduce the active area that the stylus travels over ( which scales to the screen) to reduce arm travel. I think the larger tablet is ideal for digital artist who make sweeping strokes. The new Inuous 3 interests me with its programmable buttons. I would get the 6 x 8 since it has two sets of buttons. Who knows, my 9 x 12 might end up for auction on Ebay.

My two cents.

[MikeJarosz]

I am sure I represent a significant number who think like me and can only hope that Autodesk will move ADT closer to Revit so that the jump will be just a small step for man.



but a BIG step for Autodesk. That's like asking Microsoft to turn MS Word into Wordperfect. Never gonna happen.

[bowlingbrad]

Our office uses some of the ergo tools from Humanscale. I love them! The articles are a very good analysis of the explicit need for an ergonomic working environment.

We use the M7 monitor arm and keyboard/mouse tray. We decided against the whale mouse due to no wheel... They feel that the wheel of a wheel mouse puts too much stress on the wrist.

http://www.humanscale.com/ergo_info/index.cfm

[david.kingham]

If you're paying for the tablet yourself I would look for a Graphire 2 on ebay. I only got the Intous 3 because the company paid for it :) I rarely use the buttons and they are really not that customizable (setting up good shortcuts is much faster) A 4x5 is just fine for revit. I have mine set for half the tablet with 2 monitors. I would set it for even less but then the pointer gets a little shaky. Only time I use the mouse is in acad occasionally because of no wheel to pan/zoom

[hand471037]

Eight Years ago I was in the same spot, I was 22, working 12-14 hour days of nothing but AutoCAD and Photoshop, and starting to have wrist issues. I was terrified, for using a computer is the only real way I have of making decent money.

So I tried out five or six different solutions, trackballs, touchpads, ect, finally took the plunge and bought a Wacom Art-Z tablet, and then within two weeks all pain, soreness, and tingling was flat gone, and has never come back. I'm a big belever in them!

If you want to try one out, it's a lot cheaper these days. Ebay has tons of folks selling the Graphite 2 for $80 or less. IMHO you don't really need the 'pro' Intous one unless you're doing lots of photoshop (it's more sensitive) or want the extra buttons (which with the new 'zoom-strips' could replace your mouse use completely). I use a Graphite 3 because I'm a laptop user on the go, and the pen docks into the top of the 3 which is a fantastic feature for moble users.

Best part is that you can still leave you mouse hooked up when using a Wacom tablet, so others can use your computer, or you can grab the mouse and use it for panning/zooming (or surfing the web)...

But also look at your posture, stretch at a regular interval, ect. I've found that at my home office working standing has done wonders for my back. No more sore computer back when I work standing...

[Stuart Powell]

But also look at your posture, stretch at a regular interval, ect. I've found that at my home office working standing has done wonders for my back. No more sore computer back when I work standing...

These are sage words -If you could somehow arrange to spend part of the day sitting and part standing it would help tremendously. Try everything suggested by posters no matter how disruptive to the office. If your health is suffering it is too big a price to pay and your concentration will suffer. People who do not do CAD do not realise the stress involved as one is having to concentrate for long periods.
This line of work is very unhealthy -staring straight at an electron gun for eight hours + is no joke

Best Wishes
from a fellow sufferer

Stuart

[Joef]

I have wacom tablet but have never gotten used to the stylus. The lack of a scroll wheel always makes me put it down. How do you pan and zoom without the scroll wheel?

[david.kingham]

I have set the top button to be the middle button instead of double click for panning, for zooming i just use keyboard shortcuts

[hand471037]

I have wacom tablet but have never gotten used to the stylus. The lack of a scroll wheel always makes me put it down. How do you pan and zoom without the scroll wheel?

Shift, Ctrl, & Alt are your friends. :)

Also, on smaller projects that don't have a large screen regen time I tend to just 'jump' in and out, i.e. ZE & then ZZ back to the next work area. It's faster than the scroll wheel that way too, actually. Instead of 'roll-roll-roll-pan-pan-roll-roll-roll' it's two steps; jump out, jump back (and HEY! if you're listening to any James Brown at the moment).

Within a 2D view, shift-right is panning. Within a 3D view, it's Orbit, so Panning an Axon isn't as fluid with the pen.

[Joef]

I think I'll give it another try. I refuse to be an "old dog". With AutoCAD I used the keyboard so much I often had no idea where to find the actual screen commands. I still don't. I use the screen menus much more in Revit, probably because it isn't as much of a hassle as it was with ACAD.

Joe

[BillyGrey]

The neat thing about the Wacom is that you can use the zoom wheel mouse with your left hand, and use the stylus with your right (lefty's, read this backwards).

I have a 5 button MS Intellimouse optical, it's ambidextrous. Left side button=esc, left click= default, right click= default, right side button = undo, and pressing mouse wheel = delete. It took a while to undo years of right hand mousing, and doing with the left, but now my brain doesn't object anymore.

Also, the stylus on my Intuos 3 has a programmable rocker "button', which I could put 2 more function keys into. I never use the features on the tablet cause they are cumbersome for me. Prolly not bad if you are kickin back doing graphics with the tablet in your lap.

Mouse, left hand, keyboard middle, tablet right side.

I'm ergo baby, and pain free (not so in the past).

Bill

[ita]

Martin your pain descriptions suggest that you are exhibiting the final stages of injury from mouse and keyboard use.

Some years 12 ago I was in a motor accident and unbeknown to me (and for nearly 5 years the specialist medicos), I had torn my right rotator cuff (shoulder structure). After 12 months of incredible pain (it was thought by all to be emanating from my back injuries) I eventually lost 80% of the use of my right arm and hand. As my work (business actually) was computer based I could not do the work and the business was eventually lost.

It took 5 years to determine the cause another 2 years to regain significant use of the limb and another 2 years before the pain was dealt with. I have now recovered 90-95% use in fine motor skills and 45-55% in gross (weight based) skills and the pain for the most part has gone.

Simultaneously with this event my wife lost significant use of both arms for the second time in her life. She has massive keyboard related injuries to both arms from work as a data processor working in a laboratory as a 17 year old - prior to going to university. The situation was so black that we would joke that we were lucky that we had at least had one good arm between us - my left arm!!

From these two events we have learnt a lot about shoulder, arm and wrist injuries

Initially, we experimented with a lot of different equipment in differing combinations and although the equipment reduced the pain or the impact of the pain on our lives, we did not loose the pain. What we eventually found was that it is not about the arm/hand equipment or the chair type or the height or shape of the desk.

Recovery from these types of injuries is about physical well being and fitness.

The problem for human kind is that key board and mouse control requires all the muscle structures from the tips of fingers through to the arm tendons, the neck, shoulders, upper and middle back to remain constantly in tension. The finger controls are simply + and - degrees within a fully tensed condition. In other words the body is not functioning as it was meant to by alternating tension and relaxation - it remains in one state.

With keyboard and mouse work, the tension state is sustained for hours on end and when work stops the tension on the tendons sustains for long periods. It can take 6 - 12 hours to release initially and after years of maintaining that state the tendons never properly relax and eventually the muscle tissue simply "pulls" itself apart.

Martin, I suspect that's what you're feeling the pain from now. From my understanding of the condition, there are other neural and other factors operating simultaneously that exacerbate the condition.

Although we all rest overnight, the rest period is not is of sufficient length of time to allow sustained relaxation to occur and then we are back using a mouse and keyboard again, before the full release has taken place. The result is we create a state where our bodies are in a constantly tensed (or physically stressed) state. Eventually after years (months in some cases) with this condition, parts of our body's structure start to fail - hence the sore wrists, pain in finger joints, unbelievable tenderness in the neck and shoulders and between the shoulder blades etc etc.

Martin I am not a doctor and don't profess to have in the medical expertise. What I have described above is my understanding from years of treatment, experimentation, research and extended discussions with people interested in some conditions. It may well be very different in your case but from my general observations and the discussions with others with your condition, we all seem to do the same thing with the same results and similar eventual outcomes.

Our Remedy:

Ros and I have discovered the only way we can use the devices and equipment over sustained periods is to carefully and regularly manage our physical wellbeing.

There are two parts to this management.

Firstly, regular and sustained physical exercise (swimming 2-3 km per week, walking 4-5km per week) maintains the back and shoulder structures. Gym based exercises do not work as well because many of the gym machines require a similar tensed state to be created in the body to use the machine properly. After 12 months of a strictly managed gym machine based therapy program, both arms disintegrated and we had to recommence with the new therapy that was not gym based.

With swimming, the body needs to tense and then relax each tendon as it is used - in the manner our bodies are designed to operate. Swimming freestyle and backstroke or use nearly every muscle in the body. Lap swimming is best - doing only what is comfortable and relaxing. Initially it may only be 50 or 100 metre, but over time this will build into longer distances. We have found that this exercise needs to be undertaken for a minimum of 2 times a week for maximum sustain benefit (building to 1-2 km each session) enabling the body to "reconnect" - so to speak.

The next part is particularly important and for me this is the key . . . deep tissue massage (myotherapy is THE best) to maintain the muscle tone and balance and to release the tension in the tendons.

We budget for a 2-hour myotherapy massage (each) from our masseuse at least every 2 - 3 weeks - it is a business expense!!

We also use the services of a soft touch chiropractor - the treatment is almost like finger pressure acupuncture - and the results are equally helpful as it appears to maintain the "connectivity" of the body's structure after the physical exercise and/or massage. After many years of cynicism for chiropractors I now have great respect for the soft touch practitioners.

The outcome from this regime has been incredible for both of us - we now have 3.5 arms between us and the pain has gone (mainly say 95% for 95% of the time). If for lifestyle or work reasons we cannot undertake this program for a period of time - we find that the pain returns. It returns slowly and takes longer to fully emerge but it will re-emerge indicating that we have sustained injuries that will not properly heal.

Martin, the wrist and arm pain you have is probably a result of injury from constantly doing what you do for income.

Changing equipment will relieve or reduce the pain for a while but if you continue using the injured parts of your body and re-injuring the wounded material, it will (from our experience) only get worse. To recover you will need to heal the injury and let your body recover.

Much of what is written above is now a common practice in the management and treatment of sport and workplace injury and the related pain. 10 years ago much of this was not commonly known and practiced -whereas now it is far more commonly practiced

BTW; part of the equipment we purchased at that time was Dragon Dictate. I still use it for dictating letters, species, notes etc - it is an invaluable resource. You may find that using the system commands etc will help reduce the use of arms and wrists - however its functionality and speed may be somewhat frustrating for CAD work. I often use Dragon Dictate for dimensions and notes reducing the keyboarding. The error rate for Oz type intonation is better than 97% - and I understand that there is a version for those with a Scots accent. The other VRS are mainly run on Scansoft engines - so you might well go straight to the source if you are investing. Not expensive, easy to use and reliable once you learn the tricks.

Hope this helps.

[hand471037]

Ian, wow, that's a heck of a story. Yet more reason to take care of yourself. Thanks for sharing that, and even tho I've never met you I'm happy to hear that things (mostly) worked out.

It's not too uncommon for people to not think about how their professions are destroying them. With us Architects, it's the computers, with my Contracting Friends it's their abusing their backs and bodies, and with my artist friends it's exposure to chemicals and dust and paint...

Thanks for scaring me into doing more Yoga. When I was doing lots of Martial Arts again I noticed that I was having less issues, but I couldn't tell if that was just due to being constantly in pain from being sore from the last Martial Arts class that I didn't notice any work-related pain LOL :)

[Martin P]

Wow, this sounds like it is a very common problem thank you for all the tips, a wacom sounds like it has relieved a few, after looking at all the products I am really tempted by this product. I am able to use either left or right hand to type or mouse with - but I just cannot write with my right hand at all, so the wacom would be 1 handed, this I could use with either. and swap over.

http://www.thehumansolution.com/minikeyboard.html

. I have recently joined (again!) the local gym with the intention of swimming regularly and now the winter is passing I have taken to cycling daily. I stopevery hour in the office too for 5-10 mins and have a stretch/walk about - this has been suprisingly difficult to do especially as the way we tend to work is very chaotic. A lot of the stuff we do is very rushed at the last minute, mostly down to my boss who tries to manage far to much of a workload so we can go from being fiarly quiet to really pushed very quickly as he has forgotten something or put it off too long. I have always been one for making sure we meet the deadlines, even if that meant a 12 hour stint without much stopping at all - that is not happening anymore, mostly because I cant actually do it. If that causes problems then we will just have to change our working practice to suit that (normal!) way of working.

[PeterJ]

A lot of the stuff we do is very rushed at the last minute, mostly down to my boss who tries to manage far to much of a workload so we can go from being fiarly quiet to really pushed very quickly as he has forgotten something or put it off too long.. That's true of too many architectural practices, Martin.

It can't be light enoughto go cycling up there already. I'm not managing to see any useful daylight down here.

[Max Lloyd]

I must admit I have only experienced these problems when I have worked on a desk where I cannot get my elbows resting on the desk (corner desks are best by far). Sorry if this seems over simplified but I know otherwise pain will start for me within days.

There are some remarkable stories in this thread, however, the overwhelming sense I have, especially from Ian's story, is whether the profession is worth putting yourself through so much torment?

To earn money but not have the health to enjoy spending it is futile, and whilst I accept it is not just financial reward most architects are after, there are other considerations in life.

My biggest problem is with my eyesight, which has deteriorated considerably since I have used computers. I am considering surgery, currently wear glasses for everything other than very short distance work, but have started to think that the best remedy would in fact be to stop using them. It would require a viable financial alternative, but I'm sure I could think of something.

I thoroughly enjoy my work and take great satisfaction from my new skills in using Revit, but I'm 30 years old, my wife is expecting our first child and whilst I can not see into the future, I would at least like to continue seeing the present.

Stop using Revit? Not sure yet...........

[Martin P]

....... since I have used computers....... It would require a viable financial alternative, but I'm sure I could think of something.

I thoroughly enjoy my work and take great satisfaction from my new skills in using Revit.....

Stop using Revit? Not sure yet...........


Have been thinking the same way myself. 8 hours+ a day at a PC is just not healthy, I think there are going to be many people from our generation who started out working life doing this going to have serious problems later. Having worked in drawing offices since leaving school I have pretty much spent the last 12 years working infront of a PC. I either need to alternate my inputting methods to prevent strain, or seriously look at a new career...

[david.kingham]

I'm a lefty too Martin, I'm setting up the numberpad for all my shortcuts, with Scott's help I will rarely use the rest of the keyboard

[Andre Baros]

Lots of great info in this thread. About 5 years ago I was also feeling a lot of pain from Cad work and did several successful things about it.

First I saw a chiropractor, who mentioned that architects comprise the youngest segment of her caseload, the only profession that gave her much business before 30. She suggested getting away from my desk as the ideal solution, better posture if I wasn't willing to give up my career. The adjustments that the chiropractor gave me helped for the sort term (really quite amazing actually) and changing jobs helped with the rest.

I changed to an office with very good time management skills (very few late nights or crazy deadlines) and with enough variety of work to let me get away from the computer regularly. I added a Human Scale chair (Freedom Chair) and keyboard tray. And a Logitech ergonomic keyboard and mouse. Finally a bigger monitor eliminates a lot of the scrolling, zooming, and panning (no more cad on a laptop for me).

I tried out the voice recognition option and found that I had too much ambiant noise to make it work, I was quite distracting to co-workers, and got tangled up every time I got up from my desk or answered the phone (which I was trying to do more of). One co-worker finds working standing up helps him out the most, and several people have different chairs because the chair should fit the user not the decor (that's a tough one in an architecture firm).

Good luck,

[Henry D]

One co-worker finds working standing up helps him out the most.

That is also what I do, I use a Wacom tablet with an LCD screen and work mostly standing. I also spent a lot of time getting the screen and keyboard at the right height for me.

I can sit and draw by hand all day and feel great because I'm moving, but on a computer the motions are very small and constrained so I feel stained and tight. If I work standing I am moving around which is more similar to hand drawing.

[Scott Hopkins]

I can attest to swimming to relieve built up keyboard/mousing tension in the wrists, arms and shoulders. It does wonders. I try to get out for a swim at least three times a week. I prefer ocean swimming to the pool. It is a lot more fun to be in the sun and the salt water. I just try not to think about the sharks that might be swimming out there with me.

My other secret to to a pain free life is this handy pressure point tool. Definitely loosens up the back and shoulders.

http://www.fitter1.com/backnobber.html

[Martin P]

I can attest to swimming to relieve built up keyboard/mousing tension in the wrists, arms and shoulders. It does wonders. I try to get out for a swim at least three times a week. I prefer ocean swimming to the pool. It is a lot more fun to be in the sun and the salt water. I just try not to think about the sharks that might be swimming out there with me.

My other secret to to a pain free life is this handy pressure point tool. Definitely loosens up the back and shoulders.

http://www.fitter1.com/backnobber.html

I bet you prefer swimming in the ocean - I probably wouldnt though LOL!! Plenty water round me, but if you have ever heard Billy Connoly talk about swimming in the North Sea you would give it a miss too ;) I did swim a couple of time last week (in the pool) - and was horrified by how quickly I got sore and tired so a bit more on the way yet. I have to say that is a weird looking thing, and the name is a little bit odd too - I certainly wouldnt tell the lads at the local pub about my back nobber that kept at home LOL, that is the best name for a product I have seen in a while :)


I am ordering mine tomorrow. Watch the introductory tutorial, this think looks excellent (but is a bit expensive!!)- will keep you posted once I get it.

http://www.fingerworks.com/media.html

[Scott Hopkins]

I have to say that is a weird looking thing, and the name is a little bit odd too - I certainly wouldnt tell the lads at the local pub about my back nobber that kept at home LOL, that is the best name for a product I have seen in a while :)

Martin - I was laughing my *** off reading your post! :lol::lol::lol: I hadn't looked at it that way before. Yes I suppose the contraption is a little unusually shaped and named. I should have kept that under wraps. Well I guess I am now branded as a self professed "Backnobber"

[FK]

I am ordering mine tomorrow.
Cool! Somebody else checking out cool stuff for me! ;-)

[Martin P]

Cool! Somebody else checking out cool stuff for me! ;-)

Yes, thanks for the pointer to that product Fedor.

I spent last night at home training and adding data to my Voice recognition software - "Game commander" it is unbeleviably fast with revit, only problem is I have Light version that only accepts single keystrokes for voice commands or "shift+keystroke" etc.... I have managed to get a lot on though, tabbing is great, ctrl + shift are good too. It is very, very accurate too as it only searches the database you put in, - ie if you only give it 50 voice commands to know it only has to search those - not like voice typing.... I am probably going to buy the full version (allows 256 charachter from one command - and mouse movements) or I am going to say for example "Z" "A" instead of "zoom all" that works with the LT version.

number input by voice is brilliant too.....

Not having to ever really look away from the drawing area of the screen is a strange feeling, but I must have saved hundreds of clicks,scrolls and mouse movements in about 1 hour of use, not to mention time..... - it will be really, really fast to do things in revit with this thing - will keep you posted on that too.

[Scott Hopkins]

Not having to ever really look away from the drawing area of the screen is a strange feeling, but I must have saved hundreds of clicks,scrolls and mouse movements in about 1 hour of use, not to mention time..... - it will be really, really fast to do things in revit with this thing - will keep you posted on that too.
Your writs may get better, but you are going to end up with a chronic sore throat from speaking commands all day, and bad vision from constantly staring at the screen. :mrgreen:

[GuyR]

Eliminate Coffee from the diet as well. Coffee (Caffeine) is a stimulant.

Guy

[Martin P]

......... end up with a chronic sore throat from speaking commands all day..........


Doesnt seem to affect my boss that way though ;)


first day using the figerworks key pad..... started new thread in the hardware section

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=14587

[irwin]

My other secret to to a pain free life is this handy pressure point tool. Definitely loosens up the back and shoulders.

http://www.fitter1.com/backnobber.html
I just got one and so far it seems pretty good. I've always got lots of tension in my upper back, shoulders, and neck. Thanks for the tip, Scott.

[Scott Hopkins]

I just got one and so far it seems pretty good. I've always got lots of tension in my upper back, shoulders, and neck. Thanks for the tip, Scott.
Irwin - Glad to hear it is helping. I have about six or seven pressure points I try to work on for a few minutes every night. It really does work. It is funny, once your get one part of your back or shoulders to loosen up you will start to feel tension in an other area. I have been told that the body isn't good at sending multiple pain signals. Once you relieve the tension in one area, other areas of tension that were previously masked by the primary tension begin to come to light.