Notetaking with Otter AI

This video from the Accessibility Guy channel demonstrates how to use Otter AI for effective note-taking. The host launches the Otter AI website, explains that most features are available for free, and starts recording to transcribe spoken words. The video showcases sharing the recording with others via email, highlighting text, and adding action items. It also addresses a PDF document's accessibility issues, particularly character encoding, and how to resolve them using a third-party program. The host guides viewers through using Otter AI's features, including adding images, exporting notes, and organizing highlights and action items. The summary concludes with the process of exporting the notes to a Microsoft Word document, emphasizing the tool's utility for meetings or classes.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Launch the Otter AI website to start note-taking, with most features available in the free version.
• 🔊 Use the record button to transcribe everything said, ideal for meetings or classes.
• 📬 Share the recording with others by inviting them via email, enhancing collaborative note-taking.
• 📽 Record and transcribe video content, such as YouTube videos, for note extraction.
• 🖍️ Utilize the highlighter feature to mark important points and take notes simultaneously.
• 🔍 Run an accessibility checker on documents to identify and address issues like character encoding.
• 📄 Troubleshoot document accessibility by using third-party programs for OCR and flattening.
• 📑 Add action items, highlights, and text notes to organize and assign tasks within notes.
• 🔗 Link and timestamp notes for easy reference and speaker assignment for clarity.
• 🖼️ Include images in your notes for visual context, such as screenshots from presentations.
• 📋 Assign action items to specific individuals for clear responsibility and follow-up.
• 📤 Export notes in various formats, including docx, with options to include audio, images, and highlights.

Q & A

What is the first step in using Otter AI for note-taking?

The first step is to launch the Otter AI website by going to ott.ai and navigate to the home screen.

Is a paid account necessary to use Otter AI for note-taking?

No, most of the features can be used with the free version of Otter AI.

How does Otter AI transcribe speech during a meeting or class?

Otter AI transcribes speech in real-time by hitting the record button and running in the background.

What is a unique feature of Otter AI that can be used during a meeting or class?

The ability to share the recording with others by typing in their email addresses and inviting them to the session.

Can you record a video and take notes simultaneously with Otter AI?

Yes, you can play a video and hit the record button on Otter AI to take notes from the video content.

What is the issue with the source file that was mentioned in the transcript?

The source file had a character encoding issue that needed to be fixed at the source, which made it inaccessible.

How can you take notes while watching a video with Otter AI?

You can use the highlighter feature to take notes and make comments simultaneously while the video is playing.

What does the 'takeaways' section in Otter AI contain?

The 'takeaways' section contains all the highlights made in the document, which can be assigned to other people or yourself.

How can you add text notes to a conversation in Otter AI?

You can add text notes by selecting the conversation, and then adding the notes in the designated text note section.

What can you do with the highlights in Otter AI after they have been made?

You can export the highlights as a text document or a PDF, add timestamps, assign speakers, and link them together.

How can you include images in your notes with Otter AI?

You can add an image by selecting the 'add image' option from the bottom right corner and choosing the image to insert into your notes.

What is the purpose of assigning action items in Otter AI?

Assigning action items helps in organizing tasks based on individual pieces of the notes, which can be assigned to specific people and managed within the application.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Introduction to Otter AI for Note Taking

The video begins with an introduction to the Accessibility Guy channel, where the host plans to demonstrate the use of Otter AI for note taking. The host navigates to the Otter AI website and explains that most features can be accessed for free, even without a paid account. The primary function showcased is the ability to record and transcribe speech in real-time, which is particularly useful for meetings or classes. The host also highlights the ability to share the recording with others via email, emphasizing the collaborative aspect of the tool. Additionally, the host discusses the process of recording a YouTube video for note-taking purposes, mentioning the importance of accurate transcription for video editing.

05:00

🖥️ Using Otter AI's Features for Document Accessibility

The host discusses the challenges faced when trying to make a PDF document accessible, particularly issues related to character encoding that often need to be resolved at the source. Despite these challenges, the host demonstrates how to use Otter AI's features, such as the highlighter tool, to take notes while a video plays. The video also covers how to run an accessibility checker and perform an initial scan to identify problems within a document. The host then shows how to add action items, highlight text, and make comments on the highlights, which can be assigned to individuals for collaborative note-taking. The paragraph concludes with a mention of the ability to export notes, including highlights and audio, to a Microsoft Word document for further organization and accessibility.

Keywords

Otter AI

Otter AI is a note-taking application that provides real-time transcription services. In the video, it is used to transcribe spoken words into text, which is particularly useful for recording meetings or classes. It is highlighted as a powerful tool for capturing and organizing information.

Transcribe

Transcribe refers to the process of converting spoken language into written form. Otter AI performs transcription by recording and turning the speaker's words into text, which is essential for note-taking and accessibility purposes in the context of the video.

Accessibility

Accessibility in this context refers to the ability of the technology to be used by people with different abilities. The video discusses using Otter AI to make documents more accessible, such as by running an accessibility checker and addressing issues like character encoding.

Character Encoding

Character encoding is a method used to represent text in a digital format. The video mentions an issue with character encoding that prevented the source file from being made accessible. This issue often needs to be fixed at the source and can hinder the creation of accessible documents.

Action Items

Action items are tasks or steps that need to be completed, often as a result of a meeting or discussion. In the video, the presenter demonstrates how to add action items to the notes within Otter AI, which can then be assigned to individuals for follow-up.

Highlights

Highlights in the context of Otter AI are portions of the text that are emphasized or marked for importance. The video shows how to use the highlighter feature to note key points from a video or discussion, which can later be reviewed or assigned to others.

Takeaways

Takeaways are the main points or important information that one should remember from a meeting or presentation. The video discusses how Otter AI organizes highlights into takeaways, allowing users to quickly review the most important aspects of the transcribed content.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

OCR is a technology that converts various types of documents, usually scanned or photographed, into editable and searchable data. The video mentions using a third-party program for a flattened OCR PDF, which allows for better accessibility and editing of the document's content.

Export

Exporting in the context of Otter AI means to save or transfer the transcribed and organized information into another format, such as a text document or PDF. The video demonstrates exporting the notes, including highlights and audio, to a Microsoft Word document for further use or sharing.

Accessibility Checker

An accessibility checker is a tool that analyzes digital content for accessibility issues, ensuring that it can be accessed by a wide range of users, including those with disabilities. The video shows the use of Otter AI's accessibility checker to identify and address problems within a PDF document.

Multi-speaker Assignment

Multi-speaker assignment refers to the ability to differentiate and assign parts of the transcript to different speakers. This feature is useful for transcripts of meetings or discussions where multiple people are speaking, allowing for clarity and organization in the notes.

Highlights

Otter AI can be used for note taking, even with a free account.

The transcription feature begins as soon as you hit the record button.

Otter AI runs in the background, recording everything said in a meeting or class.

You can invite others to join the conversation or recording by sharing their email.

The ability to share recordings with multiple people enhances its note-taking utility.

Otter AI allows recording and note-taking from a video, such as a YouTube video.

The highlighter feature can be used to take notes while a video is playing.

Character encoding issues often need to be fixed at the source file.

Accessibility checker can identify problems within a document.

Action items can be added to the notes, making Otter AI a powerful organizational tool.

Text, images, and action items can be highlighted and assigned to individuals.

Notes can be exported with highlights, images, and audio into a docx file.

Takeaways are essentially the highlights from the document.

Comments can be added to takeaways for further clarification.

Assigning speakers to different parts of the transcript can help in multi-person conversations.

Edit conversation allows for adding more highlights and images to the notes.

The More Options button provides various functionalities including exporting content.

Exporting the document to a docx format includes pictures, highlights, and takeaways.

Otter AI is a versatile tool for note-taking in meetings or classes, offering real-time transcription and collaboration features.