Sensory Releases Truly Handsfree Trigger SDK for iPhone and Android OS

Sensory has released the software development kits associated with its Truly Handsfree Trigger, a voice technology that makes devices and applications come alive with a spoken word or phrase, to developers of applications for Android and iPhone mobile devices. Truly Handsfree Trigger wakes up the device for voice control and voice search functions without requiring the user to push any buttons at all. 

Todd Mozer, Sensory’s CEO, calls Truly Handsfree Trigger an “important advance” in hands-free technologies. “People have been talking about hands-free for years, but what’s out there is not truly hands-free,” he says. “Most still start with a button press. We do not.”

According to Mozer, the application SDK will allow application developers to implement truly hands-free voice control through a client-server approach that yields faster access to data and higher-accuracy performance. It also offers a whole new approach to keyword and phrase spotting.

The technology, he says, will be particularly useful for in-car scenarios, such as voice-controlled navigation and search, where it is important to keep hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. In the home, Truly Handsfree Triggers make any smartpad application—be it an alarm clock, camera, or recipe database—accessible remotely by voice. The SDK also allows the integration of speech recognition and synthesis technology so developers can add command sets and speech prompts to any applications they create.

“This will usher in a whole new generation of products that are truly hands-free,” Mozer says.

The Truly Handsfree Trigger was first brought to market in Bluetooth car kits like the BlueAnt S4 True Handsfree Speakerphone. This month, Vlingo became the first smartphone application provider to incorporate the feature into its Vlingo In-Car application. “We’ve known for some time that consumers don’t want to always have to hit buttons to call up voice search applications,” said Dave Grannan, CEO of Vlingo, in a statement. “Now with Sensory’s Truly Handsfree voice triggers, it’s possible to create a voice user interface that allows users to talk to devices and get back information without relying on touch.”

Though Truly Handsfree Trigger is currently only available on selected devices, Mozer expects it to be available with products from about a half-dozen vendors by next year.

The Sensory Truly Handsfree Trigger SDK costs $2,500 and includes five hours of development support.