What is Otter.ai?
Otter.ai (or Otter) is a speech-to-text software that creates notes or transcripts that allows for you to add images and comments and highlight text. Otter also can be connected to Google and Microsoft Calendar and Contacts, and is the transcription software used by Zoom for their recordings.
What are Otter.ai’s features?
Otter is primarily a speech-to-text software. While it can be used for notes, it is also great for multi-person audio because it can separate speakers that you can then label. After Otter finalizes the transcript, you can play the audio while it highlights the word being spoken. You can also edit the transcript if needed and go into your settings to add custom vocabulary (up to 5 words on the free plan).
This software can also be used collaboratively, as you can make groups. Once made, you can easily share already created transcripts with the group instead of typing individual names or create new recordings while in the group’s page. From this, your group can access and edit the transcripts by adding comments, images, or making the transcript itself more accurate. You can also send direct messages to your contacts.
Otter also has some good organizational and outlining tools. Transcripts can be put into folders, and, once you sync your Google or Microsoft calendar, your agenda and homepage will update and allow you to create already named transcripts (the default is normally “Notes”). When you click onto the transcript, the top of the note has summary keywords, which you can click on to quickly find the word in the text. You can also use the search function.
What are Otter.ai’s Limitations?
Otter is free with paid options, which means that there are some limitations. The most strict limit is the import limit — only 3 per account. Each transcription can only be 30 minutes long or less, although this can be accommodated by having multiple recordings per transcription. Finally, you can transcribe up to 600 minutes per month. If Otter is especially helpful to you, there is a discount for college emails (.edu endings) that has less limitations, Dropbox integration, and some other features that you might want to look into.
What are the benefits of Otter.ai?
Otter has many uses that can benefit many people. Speech-to-text software can help anyone with difficulties writing or typing. This can also help people who feel they have trouble articulating thoughts when writing. Some people may find that when they no longer have the physical strain of typing or writing, they can focus for longer or write better. Additionally, since Otter highlights text as it plays the audio, listeners can focus better on what is being said or in general understand the speaker more, although any automated transcription isn’t 100% perfect.
Otter acts as a good base for meeting notes and transcriptions as well, but can also be good for notes, essay ideas, to-do lists, and anything else you might want to write. I use it for when I need to interview people, for example. There is an app (available on Android and iOS), so it can be used on the go. This could work well for professors needing to send out longer responses to emails, or for students in a rush (alongside when you’re not in a hurry, of course!).
How can you access Otter.ai?
This isn’t an official college assistive technology, but you can download Otter on your phone or other device and make an account from there, or use your browser to access it from the following link: Otter.ai. There is also a Google Chrome browser extension for further integration with Google Meet and Calendar, which you can access through the following link: Otter.ai Chrome Extension.