Spoken Dialog System

A computer system that uses speech as both input and output to conduct goal-oriented conversations with users. Unlike simple voice command systems, spoken dialog systems can handle multi-turn exchanges, track conversation context, manage misunderstandings, and adapt to user responses. They typically combine automatic speech recognition (ASR), natural language understanding (NLU), dialog management, natural language generation, and text-to-speech synthesis. For accessibility, spoken dialog systems can provide hands-free, eyes-free interaction for users with motor or visual impairments, though they may challenge users with speech disabilities or those unfamiliar with conversational interfaces.