Voice Commands to Activate Tools in 3D-Coat by using Cortana

[TimmyZDesign]

I just saw a video showing that Cortana (voice command recognition) will be included in the upcoming Windows 10.

I wonder if apps running in Windows 10 will be able to make use of Cortana's features? Will Microsoft provide an API for Cortana?

It would be nice if we could use Cortana to activate tools in 3D-Coat.

For example, we could just say "fill" to our webcam or microphone, and then the Fill Tool in 3D-Coat would be activated. If Cortana is fast enough to interpret a voice command (and I think she is probably fast enough), then this could potentially be a great workflow/speed improvement. Of course hotkeys are faster in most scenarios, but there are still many instances where a voice command would be faster.

For example, you might forget which key activates a tool, plus it takes a second or two to move your hand across the keyboard to reach a key on the opposite side of the keyboard, and while doing that you have to look at the keyboard to make sure that you press the correct key. In those cases, simply giving a voice command could be easier and faster (you can keep your eyes on the screen and issue a voice command without even moving your hand). That way your workflow remains uninterrupted. It would be like a surgeon saying "scalpel", and an assistant puts the tool into his hand, so that he doesn't have to stop working, turn to find the tool, and then turn back to his work.

Voice commands would be especially useful for people using a Cintiq or Tablet PC without a keyboard. I use the buttons on the Cintiq itself to select tools, but there aren't enough buttons there, so I keep a keyboard nearby to access other hotkeys, and also to type layer names. This is not ideal. The best would be to have no keyboard, so I can keep both hands on the Cintiq at all times. I can reach most tools on the UI quickly, but not all of them, I still have to sometimes search for them by scrolling and clicking on the icon in the toolbar.

Also, many of 3D-Coat's users are freelancers who sit alone in their office all day, so nobody would be bothered by occasional voice commands. Even if used in a bigger studio setting, noise-canceling microphones are used successfully in telemarketing call centers, so they would work for voice commands too.

In short, voice commands would be a useful addition to 3D-Coat, and since most of the heavy lifting would be done by Cortana, then maybe it wouldn't be too hard to add it to 3D-Coat once Windows 10 is released.