Lessons From The Future

 

 

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Volume VIII
Lessons From The Future

VOICEWRITER AIDS THE OFFICE 

Technology like the sea comes in waves. And like waves it washes up on different shores, in different guises at different times.

Robotronics or automation in an advanced form has been most effective on the factory floor and so far, even there mainly in the automotive field.

Now comes the first major assault on the office.

Kurzweil AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a company that has been building up an impressive record during the past few years. The Kurzweil music synthesizer under Research Director and pioneer Robert Moog has astounded music critics with an advanced digital keyboard instrumentation able to reproduce every acoustical instrument and electronic sound. It is literally changing the sound of the world of music.

Their "Reading Machine for the Blind" is the world's first character recognition system capable of handling virtually any ordinary type style. It may be a bigger advance than braille.

Now, the Kurzweil AI Voicesystem the typewriter or word processor that replaces the previous most important office ingredient - the stenographer and secretary!

This radical innovation changes the office drastically. The executive can dictate directly to his office television set. Built-in software will correct spelling and punctuation and move paragraphs around. A spoken word dispatches the letter at the speed of light to the addressee, usually at a cost, especially if sent by the upcoming National Information Utility "MoonMail", at less cost than current postage! This innovation at one stroke will replace many office stenographers, secretaries, mail boys, mailrooms and the old age post office.

For three years I tested the Voice Entry Terminal made by the Scott Instrument Company of Denton, Texas. One of the first in the field this unit worked fine but had a very limited vocabulary. Now Kurzweil moves into this market with a 1,000 word vocabulary of your choice in a self-contained desk top unit. Cost: US$7,500 including warranty, training and software support.

First applications are expected in the fields of medical reporting, CAD/CAM command and control, voice mail, basic dictation and remote inquiry to computer data banks.

Coming soon: the 10,000 word vocabulary "Kurzweil Voicewriter" the next major wave to hit the modern office.

With optical storage reducing the need for paper filing and with this Voicewriter reducing office staff the question is: Is an office really necessary? More information: Charles Anderson, Kurzweil Applied Intelligence, Inc., 2049 Century Park East, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

Phone: (213) 203-9909.

 

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