Features and target audience

This section gives a brief introduction into Dragonfly, its features, and the audience it’s targeted at.

Features

Dragonfly was written to make it very easy for Python macros, scripts, and applications to interface with speech recognition engines. Its design allows speech commands and grammar objects to be treated as first-class Python objects. This allows easy and intuitive definition of complex command grammars and greatly simplifies processing recognition results.

Language object model

The core of Dragonfly is based on a flexible object model for handling speech elements and command grammars. This makes it easy to define complex language constructs, but also greatly simplifies retrieving the semantic values associated with a speech recognition.

Support for multiple speech recognition engines

Dragonfly’s modular nature lets it use different speech recognition engines at the back end, while still providing a single front end interface to its users. This means that a program that uses Dragonfly can be run on any of the supported back end engines without any modification. Currently Dragonfly supports Dragon NaturallySpeaking and Windows Speech Recognition (included with Windows Vista).

Built-in action framework

Dragonfly contains its own powerful framework for defining and executing actions. It includes actions for text input and key-stroke simulation.

Target audience

Dragonfly is a Python package. It is a library which can be used by people writing software that interfaces with speech recognition. Its main target audience therefore consists of programmers.

On the other hand, Dragonfly’s high-level object model is very easy and intuitive to use. It is very rewarding for people without any prior programming experience to see their first small attempts to be rewarded so quickly by making their computer listen to them and speak to them. This is exactly how some of Dragonfly’s users were introduced to writing software.

Dragonfly also offers a robust and unified platform for people using speech recognition to increase their productivity and efficiency. An entire repository of Dragonfly command-modules is available which contains command grammars for controlling common applications and automating frequent desktop activities.