Low-cost, high reliability voice control unit (VCU)

A dedicated microcomputer system has been developed to provide voice control over a wide variety of motorized devices. Employing a 8051 microprocessor with 16 kilobytes of ROM and 16 kilobytes of non-volatile RAM, the system potentially realizes an OEM cost of under $100. Other features include: a simplified user interface, a failsafe stop and voice programmable capabilities. This system has the potential to bring voice control into the marketplace in a wide variety of applications. Currently, the system has been adapted to surgical microscopes and is used in controlling several types of hospital beds.