The Science Behind Voice Notes
Why speaking beats typing—backed by peer-reviewed research
Try AI Voice Notes FreeKey Research Findings
3x Faster
Speech input is 3.0x faster than typing on smartphones with 20.4% fewer errors
Stanford/Baidu 2016
70% Forgotten
Without immediate capture, 70% of new information vanishes within 24 hours
Ebbinghaus Research
23 Minutes
Average time to refocus after an interruption, with 2 tasks in between
UC Irvine Study
Why This Research Matters to You
The Hidden Cost of Slow Capture
Every time you stop to type out a thought, you're not just losing time—you're disrupting your cognitive flow. Research from UC Irvine shows it takes an average of 23 minutes to fully refocus after an interruption.
When you multiply this by the dozens of ideas, reminders, and insights you have each day, the productivity loss becomes staggering. That's hours of deep work lost to the friction of traditional note-taking.
The Memory Advantage of Speaking
The "production effect" discovered by MacLeod et al. (2010) shows that speaking information aloud significantly improves memory retention compared to silent reading or typing.
When you record voice notes, you're not just capturing information faster—you're actually encoding it more deeply into your memory. It's like having a backup in both your device and your brain. See our real-world use cases to learn how professionals leverage this effect.
The Speed That Matches Your Thoughts
The average person speaks at 150-160 words per minute but types at only 40 wpm on mobile devices. Your thoughts flow at speaking speed—shouldn't your capture method match?
Stanford researchers found that speech recognition is not just faster—it's also more accurate than typing on smartphones, with 20.4% fewer errors in English. Discover how VoxNota's AI-powered features leverage this speed advantage with smart curation and multi-language support.
Research & Sources
We believe in transparency. All our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research.
Speech Is 3x Faster than Typing for English and Mandarin Text Entry on Mobile Devices
Ruan, S., Wobbrock, J., Liou, K., Ng, A., & Landay, J. (2016)
Key Finding: Speech recognition input was 3.0x faster in English and 2.8x faster in Mandarin than typing on smartphones, with 20.4% lower error rate in English.
The Forgetting Curve
Ebbinghaus, H. (1885)
Key Finding: Approximately 70% of new information is forgotten within 24 hours without review or practice. Modern replications confirm these findings.
The Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress
Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008)
Key Finding: After an interruption, it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to return to the original task, with about two intervening tasks before resuming.
Consider It Done! Plan Making Can Eliminate the Cognitive Effects of Unfulfilled Goals
Masicampo, E.J. & Baumeister, R.F. (2011)
Key Finding: Unfinished goals cause intrusive thoughts and impair performance. Making specific plans for goals eliminates these negative cognitive effects.
The Production Effect: Delineation of a Phenomenon
MacLeod, C.M., Gopie, N., Hourihan, K.L., Neary, K.R., & Ozubko, J.D. (2010)
Key Finding: Speaking words aloud during study results in substantially better memory than reading them silently. The effect extends to educationally relevant texts.
Typing Expertise in a Large Student Population
Dhakal, V., Feit, A., Kristensson, P.O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2018)
Key Finding: Average typing speed across a large population was 52 WPM, with significant variation based on experience (35-80 WPM range).
How We Calculate Time Savings
Speaking speed: ~150 words per minute (conversational pace)
Typing speed: ~40 words per minute (average adult on mobile)
Speed advantage: 3.75x faster (150 ÷ 40)
Example: A 150-word note takes 1 minute to speak vs. 3.75 minutes to type, saving 2.75 minutes per note.
Note: Actual savings vary based on individual typing speed, device type, and content complexity. Research shows mobile speech input is 3.0x faster on average (Stanford/Baidu, 2016).
Additional Resources
Cognitive Load Theory
Sweller's research on cognitive load shows that our working memory can only handle 7±2 items at once. Quick voice capture prevents cognitive overload.
Learn more →The Zeigarnik Effect
Unfinished tasks consume mental energy even when we're not actively thinking about them. Quick capture closes these "open loops" in your mind.
Learn more →Flow State Research
Csikszentmihalyi's work shows that maintaining flow state is crucial for peak performance. Voice notes minimize the interruption to your flow.
Learn more →Dual Coding Theory
Paivio's theory explains why combining verbal and auditory processing enhances memory. Voice notes leverage both channels simultaneously.
Learn more →Ready to Capture at the Speed of Thought?
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