Give the Gift of Speech for the Holidays!

Speech Technology Magazine has compiled a list of speech-enabled products suitable for the gift-giving season.  The items were collected from NewsBlast reader submissions and categorized by gift type.  Descriptions and images were provided by the speech solution providers.

Automotive

1. Acura and Honda vehicles - equipped with IBM speech recognition technology

First navigation system that can identify spoken street and city names for entire US

• Over 700 commands
• 1.7M streets and cities 
• 7M points-of-interest 
• Zagat guide

2. GM Vehicles equipped with Onstar

IBM Embedded ViaVoice provides faster, more intuitive, continuous digit dialing and improved voice recognition accuracy.
 
By 2005, IBM Embedded ViaVoice will be integrated into all GM vehicles offering OnStar (approximately 2.2 million cars)

Cell Phones

1. The Audiovox 8920T for Telus - VoiceSignal
2. The Hitachi G1000 - Cell phone features Fonix VoiceDial - hands-free speech recognition interface
3. The Motorola A860 for China Unicom (China) - VoiceSignal
4. The Motorola MPx220 for Cingular - VoiceSignal
5. The Motorola V60T Color for Cingular, ATandT Wireless, Telcel, Claro - VoiceSignal
6. The Motorola V260/V262 available through select CDMA Carriers - VoiceSignal
7. The Motorola V265 for Verizon - VoiceSignal
8. The Motorola V710 for Verizon, ALLTEL, VIVO - VoiceSignal
9. The Nokia 7610 for Cingular - VoiceSignal
10. The O2 XDA II (Asia) - Cell phone features Fonix VoiceDial - hands-free speech recognition interface
11. The palmOne Treo 650 for Sprint - VoiceSignal
12. The Samsung A660 Leo for IUSACELL - VoiceSignal
13. The Samsung A680 Vulcan for IUSACELL - VoiceSignal
14. The Samsung A760 for Sprint - VoiceSignal
15. The Samsung MM-A700 for Sprint - VoiceSignal
16. The Samsung SCH-E250 for SK Telecom (Korea) - VoiceSignal
17. The Samsung SCH-E300 for SK Telecom (Korea) - VoiceSignal
18. The Samsung SCH-E560 for SK Telecom (Korea) - VoiceSignal
19. The Samsung SCH-A610 for Verizon - VoiceSignal
20. The Samsung SCH-A670 for Verizon - VoiceSignal
21. The Samsung SCH-A790 for Verizon - VoiceSignal
22. The Samsung SCH-I519 for China Unicom (China) - VoiceSignal
23. The Samsung SCH-I600 for Verizon - VoiceSignal
24. The Samsung SCH-V420 for SK Telecom (Korea) - VoiceSignal
25. The Samsung SCH-V540 for SK Telecom (Korea) - VoiceSignal
26. The Samsung SGH-D500 for TIM - VoiceSignal
27. The Samsung SP-I600 for Sprint - VoiceSignal
28. The Samsung SPH-A500 for Sprint - VoiceSignal
29. The Samsung SPH-A600 for Sprint (English), Bell Mobility (English/French) - VoiceSignal
30. The Samsung SPH-A660 for Bell Mobility - VoiceSignal
31. The Samsung SPH-A670 for Telus - VoiceSignal
32. The Samsung SPH-A680 for Bell Mobility - VoiceSignal
33. The Samsung SPH-I700 for Verizon - VoiceSignal
34. The Samsung SPH-N270 for Sprint - VoiceSignal
35. The Samsung VGA-1000 (SPH-A620) for Sprint - VoiceSignal
36. The Samsung VI660 (SPH-A660) for Sprint - VoiceSignal
37. The Samsung VM-A680 for Sprint - VoiceSignal
38. The Sendo X for Vodafone (UK) - VoiceSignal
39. The T-Mobile MDA III (Germany) - Cell phone features Fonix VoiceDial - hands-free speech recognition interface

 

Christmas Décor and Accessories

1. VOS IntelaVoice™ Christmas Light Switch - Sensory
http://www.vossystems.com/products.htm

Voice Operated Christmas Tree Light Control - Turn your Christmas tree lights on and off just by saying the word "lights." The device is a Voice Operated Switch and the first in a series of voice operated products with high quality speech recognition. The IntelaVoice™ switch was developed in response to customer demand for reliable and affordable voice automation.

2. Mr. Christmas Show Me the Lights Santa - Sensory
http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp?aol_refer=falseandmsn_refer=falseandnest=http://www.qvc.com/scripts/detail.dll?item=H90153!tpl=DETAIL!ref=QUGandref=QUGandcm_ven=QUIGOFEEDandcm_cat=Home%20Accents%20%26%20Furnishingsandcm_pla=Holiday%20%26%20Partyandcm_ite=H90153

Mr. Christmas offers a kid-friendly, amusing way to turn your Christmas tree lights on and off. This decorative Santa uses voice recognition technology--simply say, "Show Me the Lights," and your tree illuminates! When you're ready for bed, say, "Goodnight, Santa" and the lights shut off. Just light your tree as you normally would, plug into Santa's outlet, then plug Santa into a separate outlet for season-long fun!

Electronics

1. BBK - Chinese/English Electronic Dictionary - Sensory
http://www.bbkusa.com/

This handy electronic dictionary offers English pronunciation for common Chinese words, and has over a 230,000 word vocabulary. Ideal for Students, Grandparents, and Immigrants, and excels as a gift.

2. Humanity Oriented Technology Voice ME - Sensory
http://www.hotech.com.tw/

With Voice Me, your home appliances can easily be activated by the sound of your voice. This unit features an omni-directional IR signal, so that a single command can trigger up to three different devices simultaneously.

3. Humanity Oriented Technology Remote Control Voice Touch - Sensory
http://www.hotech.com.tw/products/voicetouchc20/features.htm

Voice Touch enables easy upgrade of your infrared-remote-controlled home electronics into voice activated ones. No need to look into table for various brands and codes, and no modification required for your home electronics.

4. IDT/Oregon Scientific - Voice Activated Weather Forcaster with Clock - Sensory http://www2.oregonscientific.com/catalog/2_4_282.asp

This unique clock recognizes and responds to voice requests for time and weather information. Wireless sensor monitors and displays time, temperature, and humidity (included). It automatically synchronizes with the U.S. Atomic Clock and adjusts for Daylight Savings Time, and features a pre-alarm and crescendo alarm with 8 minute snooze and a blue HiGlo electro-luminescent backlight.

5. Innotech Voice Recognition Remote Control - Sensory
http://www.accenda.tv/

The revolutionary Accenda Remote Control offers the choice of completely hands-free voice operation or extraordinarily comfortable and reliable hand-held operation.
Accenda is so automated it can perform even complex operations (such as turning on your TV and VCR, turning your television to channel 3 and telling your VCR to begin playing a tape) from a single spoken command or button press! The Accenda Remote Control even offers a unique voice-feedback system that tells users what button they have pushed, eliminating guesswork and minimizing the usual difficulty associated with learning remote control operation.

6. PTS - Marine Acoustics, Inc.
With funds from Babylon, a DARPA program, MAI developed and is currently producing a commercially viable, handheld phrase translation system (PTS). The PTS is designed to work for a wide variety of minimally trained users in such diverse fields as crisis management, education, travel, military, and recreation. Following the terrorist attack in September 2001, and just over seven months into their Phase II contract, DARPA requested that MAI accelerate the development of a prototype Phraselator. MAI proved quite capable of the task and the first of 200 prototypes were delivered within a matter of weeks to U. S. military forces for use in Afghanistan during operation Enduring Freedom. In 2003, more than 350 units were deployed for support of Iraqi Freedom, and are continuing to be used in the peacekeeping duties in both countries. Nearly 800 units are deployed world wide.
As part of the development of the PTS, MAI integrated technologies from Applied Data Systems, WinCE OS software from Microsoft, speech recognition from SRI, and product design and engineering from Montalbano Product Development.

The Phraselator is a ruggedized, weather-resistant, handheld device consisting of an Intel StrongARM processor with a Windows CE operating system, a day/night touch-screen display, a high quality microphone, and an amplified speaker. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery or four AA batteries power the device. Phrase modules consisting of 100 to 1,000 phrases translated into one or more target languages are stored on Compact Flash (CF) cards. Typically, up to 30,000 translated phrases can be stored on one CF card. Currently over 20 modules have been built with translations into more than 40 languages. A Windows PC Module Builder Toolkit is available for building custom modules by users.

7. Speereo Voice Translator for Pocket PC - talking phrase book with speech input capability.
http://www.speereo.com/Products/vtrans.html

The most attractive thing about it is a possibility to communicate verbally. Just say a phrase. Translator understands it and immediately gives you an equivalent on the language you need.

It also contains a lot of useful information for travelers. 

8. Talking Caller ID - Rubidium
Panasonic is showcasing this technology in their master home page: http://www.panasonic.com/

A cordless phones from Panasonic, using a text-to-speech engine (TTS) to announce callers' names based on Caller ID name information. There are several models featuring this technology, which could be found in Panasonic's Web site. The first model with this technology won "Best Innovations Award" in the 2003 CES, and has since then sold millions of devices.

The internal TTS engine, developed and miniaturized by Rubidium Ltd., has an internal name directory and pronunciation rules and was especially optimized for name pronunciation.

Toys

1. Disney - Pal Mickey - Sensory
http://www.mydisneyworld.com/pal-mickey.asp

To enhance their Disney park-going experience, summer guests can have a revolutionary new take-along buddy who needs no introduction. Pal Mickey is a talking Mickey Mouse plush who entertains and assists guests in each of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort. Obtainable at Disney parks or resorts, this huggable toy is programmed to emit talking reminders about parades and show times, to share stories and trivia, to recommend attractions, to play games and to tell guests where to locate Disney characters. Pal Mickey is available to all guests as a daily rental ($8 plus tax per day with a refundable $50 deposit) or as a purchase ($46.94 plus tax).

2. Girl Tech Password Journal 2 - Sensory
http://www.girltech.com/index.cfm?event=showProdDetailandid=21

Unlock the key to ultimate secrecy with voice-activated Password Journal®. You record a top-secret password, so nobody else can even open it! But that is not it; you get to create your own design cover. Paste pictures, stickers or anything you want to on the cover. Password Journal® has a cool gel pen, a light to write at night, a calendar to keep track of the date and textures to add rubbings and cool designs to your notes. Also has an intruder alert to let you know when someone has tried to open it.

3. Hasbro Shrek and Donkey - Sensory
http://www.hasbro.com/pl/page.viewproduct/product_id.14512/dn/default.cfm

The Shrek and Donkey characters can be spoken to, and they respond in an intelligent way to a range of predefined questions. The conversation sequence is "triggered" by an opening word that the character is listening for. Say "Hey Shrek", and he replies with a random response. The user can then ask a question like "Are you hungry?", and Shrek burps and says "Better out than in I always say." The characters have the same wisecracking personalities and voices as those on-screen, so the interactivity makes it funny and uncannily realistic at the same time.

4. MGA Bratz Safe - Sensory
http://www.toponemall.com/ztsrfecba.html

Keep your fashion and beauty secrets away from prying eyes with the Bratz Secret Safe. It's a technologically advanced super safe that opens and closes when it recognizes the sound of your voice. Or, open the safe by entering your secret code on the keypad. Once inside, hide your most sought-after jewelry and accessories in the secret compartments. The safe's stylish look blends well with any decor.

5. "Nobby" - Rubidium
It is available e.g. from Argos http://www.argos.com.uk/ and http://www.boysstuff.co.uk/product.asp?id=11185

A voice interactive alarm clock and toy with speech recognition and speech response. Shaped like a one-eyed alien, it tells the time (when asked), wakes you up by voice, and responds to different questions with a variety of sassy answers.
If features speaker-independent speech recognition, speech output and dialog management, all included in a single chip from Rubidium.

6. Radica Off Limits Voice Vault - Sensory
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-3359344-9518563?asin=B0002Q8FEAandAFID=SMX

It's almost like saying the magic words "Open Sesame!" to make a treasure-filled cave door roll open. Designed for boys, this super-cool safe-like vault keeps your most prized possessions "off limits" to intruders using a special voice-recognition technology. Just record a codeword into the voice vault. It then locks automatically when you close it and will only respond to your voice (and no one else's) when you say the codeword. Comes with intruder alert, powerful alarms and automatic spring-loaded door.

Video Games

1. Voice Buddy interactive voice control for IL-2: Pacific Fighters - for IL-2 Sturmovik series from Ubisoft. 

From the creators of the critically acclaimed IL-2 series comes a re-creation of the epic battles of the Pacific. Now you can control over 40 fighters and bombers including the deadly Japanese Zero, the U.K.'s Supermarine Seafire and the U.S.-made Corsair and A-20 Havoc using intuitive voice commands, meaning you never have to take your hands off the controls or remember complicated key combinations. 

Voice Buddy SmartKeys (VBSK) technology instantly learns your entire customized pilot profile. For starters, the Voice Buddy IL-2 Edition assigns all the IL-2 commands to keys. No more unassigned or user defined keys. The minute you install it, Voice Buddy gives you a new pilot with all commands activated, ready-to-fly. VBSK technology goes one step beyond that. It enables Voice Buddy to instantly learn all your other pilot profiles and give you voice control over their key commands. No matter what keys you assigned, even those linked to flight controller buttons, they all will work with voice control without wasting time on reprogramming key assignments.

At just $49.95 for the starter edition including everything you need to voice control your first favorite game title and $9.95 for the relevant files to voice-enable each additional title, eDimensional's new Voice Buddy software instantly lets you take total control of your favorite game using simple, intuitive voice commands. No more fumbling for key combinations in the middle of a dogfight or pausing to consult a manual. With Voice Buddy, you call out the commands and the game instantly responds.

2. Tom Clancey's Ghost Recon 2 for Xbox and PlayStation2 consoles

Web

1. Last year BCE Elix, N Echo and S2i wanted to showcase their expertise by deploying a speech and Web application using the new VoiceXML standards. The three companies decided to create an interactive application that would introduce the public to these new technologies in an amusing way. This application enables users to invite children and young-at-heart adults to experience an interactive and personalized telephone conversation with Santa Claus and Pixel, the automated elf. In order to personalize the conversation, a parent or other adult used the Web site to submit information about the recipient. 
 
At the Santa Web site http://www.talktosantaclaus.com/, they were asked to provide some basic information about the child, such as age and gender, whether the child had already written to Santa, and an idea of what gift the child would like to receive from Santa. They could also include advice that Santa would give - many parents took this opportunity to offer instructions about doing homework and not fighting with siblings! Parents and legal guardians also had the option to allow the portion of the call where the child told Santa what gift he or she would like to be recorded. This recording would then be sent to the parent by email after the conversation. After registration, the child received an email from the North Pole telling them that Santa would like to talk to them. Using the toll-free number and the "secret" code (which, of course, was an electronic ID that enabled the application to find the correct information for each child) contained in the email, the child was able to reach Santa's workshop. Each call was answered by Pixel, the elf; Santa joined the conversation a little later on.
 
The Santa project runs this year on Voice Select, the Bell Canada interactive voice response platform that supports the VoiceXML standards and uses voice technologies like speech recognition and text-to-speech (TTS). The application is available in English and in French.
 
Santa will be ready to take calls this year, starting November 25, 2004.