Braina

Last updated
Braina
Developer(s) Brainasoft
Operating system Windows
Available in English
Type
License Proprietary
Website www.brainasoft.com/braina/

Braina is a virtual assistant [1] [2] and speech-to-text dictation [3] application for Microsoft Windows developed by Brainasoft. [4] Braina uses natural language interface, [5] speech synthesis, and speech recognition technology [6] to interact with its users and allows them to use natural language sentences to perform various tasks on a computer. The name Braina is a short form of "Brain Artificial". [7] [8]

Contents

Braina is marketed as a Microsoft Copilot alternative. [9] It provides a voice interface for several locally run [10] and cloud large language models, including GPT-4o, Gemini 1.5 Pro, Anthropic's Claude Sonnet and Opus, Meta's Llama 3, and Mistral, while attempting to improve data privacy. [7] Braina also allows responses from its in-house large language models like Braina Swift and Braina Pinnacle. [11] It has an "Artificial Brain" [7] feature that provides persistent memory support for supported LLMs. [12]

Features

Braina provides is able to carry out various tasks on a computer, including automation. [13] [14] Braina can take commands inputted through typing or through dictation [3] [15] [13] [16] to store reminders, find information online, perform mathematical operations, open files, generate images from text, transcribe speech, and control open windows or programs. [17] [18] [4] [19] Braina adapts to user behavior over time with a goal of better anticipating needs. [13]

Speech-to-text dictation

Braina Pro can type spoken words into an active window at the location of a user's cursor. [15] [13] [16] Its speech recognition technology supports more than 100 languages and dialects [2] [7] [20] [13] and is able to isolate the recognition of a user's voice from disturbing environmental factors such as background noise, [21] other human voices, or external devices. Braina can also be taught to dictate uncommon legal, medical, and scientific terms. [13] [22] Users can also teach Braina uncommon names and vocabulary. [16] Users can edit or correct dictated text without using a keyboard or mouse by giving built-in voice commands. [13]

Text-to-speech

Braina can read aloud selected texts, such as e-books. [4] [13]

Custom commands and automation

Braina can automate computer tasks. [14] It lets users create custom voice commands to perform tasks such as opening files, programs, websites, or emails, as well as executing keyboard or mouse macros. [4] [23] [24] [13] [25]

Transcription

Braina can transcribe media file formats such as WAV, MP3, and MP4 into text. [26]

Notes and reminders

Braina can store and recall notes and reminders. These can include scheduled or unscheduled commands, checklist items, alarms, chat conversations, memos, website snippets, bookmarks, contacts. [13] [4] [27]

Image generation

Brainasoft states that Braina can generate images from text using text-to-image models including Stable Diffusion and DALL-E. [28]

Platforms

In addition to the desktop version for Windows operating systems, [28] Braina is also available for the iOS and Android operating systems. [29] [3] [30]

The mobile version of Braina has a feature allowing remote management of a Windows PC connected via Wi-Fi. [31]

Distributions

Braina is distributed in multiple modes. These include Braina Lite, a freeware version with limitations, [3] and premium versions Braina Pro, [13] Pro Plus, and Pro Ultra. [32]

Some additional features in the Pro version include dictation, custom vocabulary, [21] video transcription, automation, [3] custom voice commands, and persistent LLM memory.

Reception

TechRadar has consistently listed Braina as one of the best dictation and virtual assistant apps between 2015 and 2024. [4] [33] [34] [35]

In addition to TechRadar's recognition, Digital Trends has highlighted Braina as a top multipurpose dictation program, emphasizing its versatility beyond simple speech-to-text functions. [36]

Related Research Articles

IBM ViaVoice was a range of language-specific continuous speech recognition software products offered by IBM. The current version is designed primarily for use in embedded devices. The latest stable version of IBM Via Voice was 9.0 and was able to transfer text directly into Microsoft Word.

PlainTalk is the collective name for several speech synthesis (MacinTalk) and speech recognition technologies developed by Apple Inc. In 1990, Apple invested a lot of work and money in speech recognition technology, hiring many researchers in the field. The result was "PlainTalk", released with the AV models in the Macintosh Quadra series from 1993. It was made a standard system component in System 7.1.2, and has since been shipped on all PowerPC and some 68k Macintoshes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MacSpeech</span> Speech recognition etc. software company

MacSpeech, Inc. was a New Hampshire-based technology company that produced software-based speech recognition and voice dictation solutions for the Apple ecosystem. The company's products included iListen, MacSpeech Dictate, MacSpeech Dictate Medical, MacSpeech Dictate Legal, MacSpeech Dictate International, and MacSpeech Scribe. On February 12, 2010, Nuance Communications, Inc. acquired MacSpeech.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dragon NaturallySpeaking</span> Speech recognition software package

Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a speech recognition software package developed by Dragon Systems of Newton, Massachusetts, which was acquired in turn by Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products, Nuance Communications, and Microsoft. It runs on Windows personal computers. Version 15, which supports 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows 7, 8 and 10, was released in August 2016.

Dr. SbaitsoSBAY-tsoh is an artificial intelligence speech synthesis program released late in 1991 by Creative Labs in Singapore for MS-DOS-based personal computers. The name is an acronym for "SoundBlaster Acting Intelligent Text-to-Speech Operator."

A voice-user interface (VUI) enables spoken human interaction with computers, using speech recognition to understand spoken commands and answer questions, and typically text to speech to play a reply. A voice command device is a device controlled with a voice user interface.

The Speech Application Programming Interface or SAPI is an API developed by Microsoft to allow the use of speech recognition and speech synthesis within Windows applications. To date, a number of versions of the API have been released, which have shipped either as part of a Speech SDK or as part of the Windows OS itself. Applications that use SAPI include Microsoft Office, Microsoft Agent and Microsoft Speech Server.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parallels Desktop for Mac</span> Virtual machine software

Parallels Desktop for Mac is a hypervisor for Macintosh computers; it provides hardware virtualization. Initially developed for Macintosh systems with Intel processors, version 16.5 introduced support for Macs with Apple silicon. Parallels, a subsidiary of Corel since 2018, is the developer of the software.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dictation machine</span> Device for recording human speech

A dictation machine is a sound recording device most commonly used to record speech for playback or to be typed into print. It includes digital voice recorders and tape recorder.

As of the early 2000s, several speech recognition (SR) software packages exist for Linux. Some of them are free and open-source software and others are proprietary software. Speech recognition usually refers to software that attempts to distinguish thousands of words in a human language. Voice control may refer to software used for communicating operational commands to a computer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windows Speech Recognition</span> Speech recognition software

Windows Speech Recognition (WSR) is speech recognition developed by Microsoft for Windows Vista that enables voice commands to control the desktop user interface, dictate text in electronic documents and email, navigate websites, perform keyboard shortcuts, and operate the mouse cursor. It supports custom macros to perform additional or supplementary tasks.

Natural-language user interface is a type of computer human interface where linguistic phenomena such as verbs, phrases and clauses act as UI controls for creating, selecting and modifying data in software applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virtual assistant</span> Software agent

A virtual assistant (VA) is a software agent that can perform a range of tasks or services for a user based on user input such as commands or questions, including verbal ones. Such technologies often incorporate chatbot capabilities to simulate human conversation, such as via online chat, to facilitate interaction with their users. The interaction may be via text, graphical interface, or voice - as some virtual assistants are able to interpret human speech and respond via synthesized voices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siri</span> Software-based personal assistant from Apple

Siri is a digital assistant purchased, developed, and popularized by Apple Inc., which included it in the iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, tvOS, audioOS, and visionOS operating systems. It uses voice queries, gesture based control, focus-tracking and a natural-language user interface to answer questions, make recommendations, and perform actions by delegating requests to a set of Internet services. With continued use, it adapts to users' individual language usages, searches, and preferences, returning individualized results.

Transcription software assists in the conversion of human speech into a text transcript. Audio or video files can be transcribed manually or automatically. Transcriptionists can replay a recording several times in a transcription editor and type what they hear. By using transcription hot keys, the manual transcription can be accelerated, the sound filtered, equalized or have the tempo adjusted when the clarity is not great. With speech recognition technology, transcriptionists can automatically convert recordings to text transcripts by opening recordings in a PC and uploading them to a cloud for automatic transcription, or transcribe recordings in real-time by using digital dictation. Depending on quality of recordings, machine generated transcripts may still need to be manually verified. The accuracy rate of the automatic transcription depends on several factors such as background noises, speakers' distance to the microphone, and accents.

Tazti is a speech recognition software package developed and sold by Voice Tech Group, Inc. for Windows personal computers. The most recent package is version 3.2, which supports Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8 and Windows 7 64-bit editions. Earlier versions of Tazti supported Windows Vista and Windows XP. PC video game play by voice, controlling PC applications and programs by voice and creating speech commands to trigger a browser to open web pages, or trigger the Windows operating system to open files, folders or programs are Tazti's primary features. Earlier versions of Tazti included a lite Dictation feature that is eliminated from the latest version.

Alice is a Russian intelligent personal assistant for Android, iOS and Windows operating systems and Yandex's own devices developed by Yandex. Alice was officially introduced on 10 October 2017. Aside from common tasks, such as internet search or weather forecasts, it can also run applications and chit-chat. Alice is also the virtual assistant used for the Yandex Station smart speaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celia (virtual assistant)</span> AI virtual assistant developed by Huawei

Celia is an artificially intelligent virtual assistant developed by Huawei for their latest HarmonyOS and Android-based EMUI smartphones that lack Google Services and a Google Assistant. The assistant can perform day-to-day tasks, which include making a phone call, setting a reminder and checking the weather. It was unveiled on 7 April 2020 and got publicly released on 27 April 2020 via an OTA update solely to selected devices that can update their software to EMUI 10.1.

References

  1. ↑ King, Leo (15 December 2015). "Top 8 virtual personal assistants". Raconteur. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023.
  2. 1 2 Igor Bošnjak; Luka Šaravanja; Eva Čuljak; Željko Stojkić (2021). "Planning and implementation of Digital Assistance System at University of Mostar Learning Factory". 11th Conference on Learning Factories, CLF2021 (2021). SSRN: 3–4. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3858378. S2CID   242604709.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Free Artificial Intelligence (AI) software for your PC". ZDNet . Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mark Pickavance (21 April 2022). "Braina Pro review". Future plc . Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  5. ↑ Vladimir A. Fomichov; Alexander A. Razorenov (2014). "The Design of A Natural Language Interface for File System Operations on the basis of a Structured Meanings Model". Procedia Computer Science. 31 (2014). Elsevier: 1005–1011. doi: 10.1016/j.procs.2014.05.353 .
  6. ↑ "Braina Speech Recognition Software". Braina. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Robert Ciesla (14 January 2024). The Current Era of Chatbots, From ELIZA to ChatGPT. Springer Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-51004-5_4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  8. ↑ "Braina Homepage" . Retrieved 2015-01-10.
  9. ↑ "Microsoft Copilot Alternative for PC" . Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  10. ↑ "Run LLM locally on PC" . Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  11. ↑ "ChatGPT for PC" . Retrieved 2023-08-09.
  12. ↑ "Persistent Memory for LLM – Personal AI" . Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Analysing Braina - An intelligent personal assistant" . Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  14. 1 2 Clifford Chi. "8 Voice-to-Text Software That'll Help You Work Faster" . Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  15. 1 2 "Dictation software for PC" . Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  16. 1 2 3 Stacey Nguyen. "8 Voice-to-Text Software That'll Help You Work Faster". Lifewire . Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  17. ↑ Joel Lee (25 June 2015). "Windows 10 Transformation Pack Gives a Facelift to Windows 7 & 8". MakeUseOf. Retrieved 2015-06-28.
  18. ↑ "Braina Music – Search and Listen to Song". Braina. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  19. ↑ Joel Lee (25 June 2015). "Windows 10 Transformation Pack Gives a Facelift to Windows 7 & 8". MakeUseOf. Retrieved 2015-06-28.
  20. ↑ "Best Free Artificial Intelligence software for Windows 11/10". 18 April 2022. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  21. 1 2 Gaojian Huang; Brandon J. Pitts, Ph.D. (2019). "Automated Speech Recognition Technology to Support in Flight Weather Related Communication for GA Pilots". 20th International Symposium on Aviation Psychology, 468–473 (2019). Wright State University: 469.
  22. ↑ Dr. Kader Sara Esther; Eckert, Anne M.; Dr. Gural-Toth (2021). "Voice-to-Text Technology for Patients with Hearing Loss". The Hearing Journal. 74 (2). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: 11, 14, 15. doi:10.1097/01.HJ.0000734212.09840.d7.
  23. ↑ Neeraj Paruthi (15 September 2021). "Why Braina Is My Preferred Virtual Assistant on Windows" . Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  24. ↑ Daniel Martin (24 March 2021). "Best dictation software". Digital Trends. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  25. ↑ "Self operating computer with advanced AI automation" . Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  26. ↑ "Automatic Video & Audio Transcription" . Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  27. ↑ "Note taking with voice commands" . Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  28. 1 2 "Braina – Artificial Intelligence Software for Windows". www.brainasoft.com.
  29. ↑ "Braina PC Remote Voice Control – Apps on Google Play". Play Store.
  30. ↑ "Braina – Voice Control PC". App Store. 15 February 2018.
  31. ↑ Darren Allan (16 August 2017). "I dieci migliori software di riconoscimento vocale del 2017". techradar.com. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017.
  32. ↑ "Download Braina Virtual Assistant" . Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  33. ↑ "Best speech-to-text app of 2024". 29 September 2021. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  34. ↑ Turner, Brian (29 September 2021). "Best speech-to-text apps of 2022". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022.
  35. ↑ Turner, Brian (29 September 2021). "Best speech-to-text apps of 2021". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021.
  36. ↑ "Best dictation software". Digital Trends. 2021-03-24. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
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