A system for detecting and capturing voice commands, the system comprising a voice-activity detector (VAD) configured to receive a VAD-received digital-audio signal; determine the amplitude of the VAD-received digital-audio signal; compare the amplitude of the VAD-received digital-audio signal to a first threshold and to a second threshold; withhold a VAD interrupt signal when the amplitude of the VAD-received digital-audio signal does not exceed the first threshold or the second threshold; generate the VAD interrupt signal when the amplitude of the VAD-received digital-audio signal exceeds the first threshold and the second threshold; and perform spectral analysis of the VAD-received digital-audio signal when the amplitude of the VAD-received digital-audio signal is between the first threshold and the second threshold.