Epson Partners with Fonix for Speech Interface Technologies

SALT LAKE CITY, UT and TOKYO, JAPAN - Fonix(R) Corp. (FNIX) announced the availability of speech interface technologies on two new semiconductor chips in the Seiko Epson S1C33 family. Fonix and Epson showcased the combined software and chip speech solution last week at the NE Embedded Processor Symposium in Yokohama, Japan. "Fonix speech solutions on the Epson S1C33L11 and S1C33301 chips provide a powerful platform to develop mobile phones and other devices that are safer and more convenient," said Yasuhisa Hirabayashi, general manager of Seiko Epson IC Marketing Department. "The power of Epson chips gives developers and OEMs the opportunity to integrate and bundle speech solutions on highly efficient mobile devices." According to Fonix, the embedded speech solution enables users to interact with feature-rich devices, with functionality including audio, video, gaming, e-mail, instant messaging and personal management applications. Fonix speech solutions allow users to access functions and applications simply by speaking. "Epson is a proven leader in developing semiconductors for multimedia-enabled mobile electronic devices," said Lynn Shepherd, vice president, Fonix Product Development. "These new chips expand market opportunities for mobile phones and other products incorporating Fonix/Epson solutions. With the Fonix/Epson solution, we are collaborating with several multinational OEMs integrating and bundling applications, including mobile communication and consumer electronic device manufacturers, toy makers and automotive integrators. During the next six months, we expect the Fonix/Epson solution to generate technology license fees and unit royalty fees from mass-market devices."