<< --- This app is my christmas present to the community but please consider it as in beta stage still! --- >>
PushbackZoomer is a tiny little utility, that allows to perform pushbacks just by speaking voice commands!
As you don't need to configure anything it as the most simplistic GUI ever: the GUI is just a blank window with literally zero UI elements on it. Start it, put it in the background an forget it!
How do you use it? Talk with it! Using the standard audio input, you need to speak a realistic and comprehensive set of voice commands, which trigger step by step an improved pushback procedure. For each command you hear a response via the standard audio output.
Here is a list of supported features:
- Freeware Windows 10 app
- Distributed via the Microsoft Store, was well as a *.msix file (packaged Windows app) from freeware portals
- Zero-controls GUI
- The only feedback, that the GUI provides, is the connection state to the sim via SimConnect (GUI in grey = idle / GUI colored = connected)
- Minimal resources footprint. By intelligent context sensing, the app only activates voice recognition during phases, when a pushback could occur. For the rest of the flight, the app will be running idle.
- Speech commands in english only
- Speech commands follow the real world protocol as much as possible.
- Freely spoken commands are not understood, but the phrases need to match a set of predefined commands (see list of minimal commands below).
- A healthy number of variations is supported both for spoken phrases as well as for the responses.
- Depending on the mood of the virtualpushback driver, the conversation will have a different character. For every pushback any of the moods TightLipped, Formal or Expressive will randomly be applied to our virtual pushback driver.
- Literally hundreds of millions of different conversations with the pushback driver are possible.
- Robust speech recognition, even as non-native English speaker I easily get confidence values of 0.95 or more
- Any action can be canceled by saying “no, no, no”, if something was not understood correctly by the speech recognizer.
This is the minimal set of commands:
- Ground from flightdeck -> Start the converstion
- Brakes released -> Confirmation that the parking brakes have been released
- Turn -> Requests a 90° turn to the right or left
- Turn by degrees -> Requests a turn by the specified angle to the right or left
- Turn facing -> Requests a 90° turn, the direction is derived from the cordinal direction
- Stop turning -> Stop turning and continue with current heading
- No, no, no -> Cancel started action
- Stop the pushback -> Terminate the pushback
- Brakes set -> Confirmation that the parking brakes have been set
User manual
For more details please refer to the user manual PDF.
Also watch this video, to see the tool in operation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8qo4O00slA
System Requirements
The language packs for english need to be installed.
How to install?
Extract all file from the zip into a folder.
How to use?
Start PushbackZoomer.exe and place the window in the background. Start talking to the pushback drive once you brought the aircraft in the correct state for pushback.
How do you get support?
Please ask questions or bring up support issues in this thread.
Seems abandoned
1 years ago
There are no new features, that's correct, but it should work!
I have not heard about unresovable issues, so no news are good news.
Is the tool not working for you?
1 years ago
flightzoomer
DownedAviator
2 years ago
Can you elaborate? What does not work?
2 years ago
flightzoomer
jozz
I can't find where to install the english voice thing so it doesn't work for me.
Edit: It's not very clear where you install the English/US language but it's in settings. If you could make it more clear in the description that would help people.
2 years ago
Does this work?
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/install-a-language-for-windows-ccd853d3-9ecd-7da7-9ef0-72b4a055410a
2 years ago
flightzoomer
GreatEddieStobar
Great job. The App is working great! I love it!
2 years ago
Skycowboy
Does not work. Waste of time. Had it coloured but no reply and still was moving my aircraft back without stopping the pushback. Maybe not updated for new update ? voice recognition works perfectly with pilot2atc so
3 years ago
godwisper
3 years ago
erdemrobi
3 years ago
Yames
3 years ago
Totti64
But unfortunately it doesn't work. The app is enabled and the Tug connects but it doesn't respond to any voice commands. I also tried the MS Store version.
My headset works, I tested this, it is the default audio recording device and Speech recognition works for Windows Mixed Reality.
Did an update brake it?
Also, The Forum thread on the official MSFS forums got closed.
3 years ago
WokkelP
This looks like a great app, as well as an avid flight simmer, I am a professional voiceover artist. I'd love to offer my services to bring a realness to the tug operator/ground crew rather than the robic system generated sound. I'm not sure how you have built the app, but it it works on mp3 files this would be an easy and beneficial development. If you're interested or what to hear more of my work details and voice reels are on danielcarlin.co.uk/voice would love to help!
3 years ago
3 years ago
flightzoomer
dcrowe24
3 years ago
3 years ago
flightzoomer
ashwad
I also had issues with "stop pushback", but it looks like you addressed it below.
My only other comment is that if you start the app before loading into VR, the app does not seem to recognize your voice (my guess is that it's probably not recognizing the switch in audio input). My workaround has been to load the app only after I have launched VR from the main menu.
All in all, this app is basically a requirement for me for VR airliner flying and it works excellent for that.
3 years ago
3 years ago
flightzoomer
multimediawill
Considering this is only a beta version, I am looking forward to the real thing!!
Btw, I noticed that the wheels of the tug and the plane keep turning after pushback finished.
3 years ago
3 years ago
flightzoomer
Djeez2
It would be nice if the pushback tug can be called more than once. If after pushing back and taxiing return to the gate (i.e. technical problem) and then want to push back again, the tug won't come. Not even after both "ground from flightdeck" and "request pushback" commands.
Minor nitpick. An employee who responds with "fine" after an instruction, doesn't sound like an employee who likes his work. A bit more "energy" in the voice (vocally) and response (verbally) would be nice.
Every command works well except "stop pushback". I have to say it 2 - 3 times before getting a response. (it could be me)
However still 5 stars! And I'd really to see how this develops 😊
3 years ago
3 years ago
flightzoomer
mc1102
3 years ago
3 years ago
flightzoomer
Drawyah