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Plover: Thought to Text at 240 WPM by Mirabai K...

PyCon 2013
March 17, 2013

Plover: Thought to Text at 240 WPM by Mirabai Knight

Stenographic technology has been locked down to expensive, proprietary hardware and software for decades, depriving the world of the most efficient text entry system devised to date. Plover, a free, cross-platform steno engine that works with $45 hardware, offers hackers and hobbyists the ability to type at up to 240 WPM in applications ranging from wearable computing to captioning to coding.

PyCon 2013

March 17, 2013
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  1.  Mirabai Knight Founder  Joshua Lifton, PhD Cofounder 

    Hesky Fisher Lead Programmer Plus input, testing, and code from the 199 members of the Plover Google Group
  2.  Speed  Wearability  Ergonomics  Paying Work 

    Accessibility  Fluency and Efficiency of Text Entry
  3.  No spacebar  Two-dimensional syllabic chords  Most words

    can be written phonetically  Each stenographer’s dictionary is unique STRAPS straps
  4. original = raw_input("Enter a word:") if original.isalpha(): word = original.lower()

    first = word[0] print first else: print "Not a word." QWERTY STENO 143 54 Using Plover With Python
  5. b: go Back one word q: reQord maQro?! GLERCH: Launch

    browser and perform Google search on text in clipboard QUARN: Cut highlighted text and append to prespecified bug-tracking document QWERTY STENO
  6. • 35 million people with hearing loss in the US

    • <2% know Sign Language • <400 Certified Captioners • Average captioner age is 50 • 3 to 8 million people with speech disabilities
  7. • Virtually all steno schools are for-profit • Startup costs

    include $1,000 student machine and $500 hobbled software, plus ~$12,000/year tuition • Nationwide dropout rate is 85% • Reaching 225 WPM can take 2 - 6 years
  8. Amateur Professional $50 Ukulele $50,000 diamond-encrusted guitar Free Music Lessons

    $60,000 degree from music school Lots of Practice No guarantee of employment
  9. • Fly • Plover Aviary • Plover Blog • Plover

    Dojo • Steno 101 • Steno Typer • Steno Hero Alpha Plover Wiki: http://ploversteno.org
  10. CRITERION WINNER Speed Steno Accuracy Steno Customizability Steno Portability Voice

    Learning Curve Voice (beginner)/Steno (advanced) Privacy Steno Determinism Steno http://stenoknight.com/speechrec