speechmatics

name	speechmatics
description	Transcribe audio files (voice notes, recordings, podcasts) to text via the Speechmatics batch transcription API. Use when the user asks to transcribe audio, convert speech to text, or get a transcript of a recording, and Speechmatics is configured.
homepage	https://docs.speechmatics.com/introduction/batch-transcription
metadata	{"openclaw":{"emoji":"🗣️","requires":{"bins":"[Truncated]","env":"[Truncated]"},"primaryEnv":"SPEECHMATICS_API_KEY","install":["[Truncated]","[Truncated]"]}}

Cleanup Review

python scripts/_purge_cache.py is an optional cleanup helper for the Speechmatics (batch transcription) skill. It may recursively remove /tmp/skill_build/*, /tmp/skill_build/.cache. Show the exact paths first, explain whether they are skill-private temporary paths or user state, and run the cleanup only after the user confirms.

Speechmatics (batch transcription)

Transcribe an audio file via Speechmatics' async batch API. Submits a job, polls until complete, then writes the transcript.

Quick start

{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh /path/to/audio.m4a

Defaults:

• Language: en
• Operating point: enhanced (better accuracy; use standard for faster/cheaper)
• Output: <input>.txt in the same directory
• Poll interval: 3s, timeout: 600s

Useful flags

{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh /path/to/audio.ogg --language da
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh /path/to/meeting.wav --operating-point standard
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh /path/to/call.mp3 --diarization speaker
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh /path/to/audio.m4a --format json --out /tmp/transcript.json
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh /path/to/audio.m4a --format srt --out /tmp/subs.srt
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh /path/to/long.wav --timeout 1800

Formats: txt (default, plain text), json (Speechmatics json-v2 with word timings), srt (subtitles).

API key

The script reads the API key from (in order):

1. --api-key <key> flag
2. SPEECHMATICS_API_KEY environment variable (set by openclaw from the entry below)
3. skills.entries.speechmatics.apiKey in $OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH (default ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json)

Configure via openclaw.json:

{
  skills: {
    entries: {
      speechmatics: {
        apiKey: "SPEECHMATICS_KEY_HERE",
      },
    },
  },
}

Override the API base (e.g. EU region or a proxy) with --base-url or SPEECHMATICS_BASE_URL. Default: https://asr.api.speechmatics.com/v2.

Notes

• Supports most common audio formats (wav, mp3, m4a, ogg, flac, mp4, etc.) — Speechmatics transcodes server-side.
• File size limit: 2 GB per job.
• Batch jobs complete in roughly 1:10 wallclock to audio duration on enhanced; standard is faster.
• Always confirm any destructive follow-up (e.g. replying based on a transcript) before acting.