August/September 1998

Magazine Features

Bold Beginning for A New Speech Recognition System

Recently two completely new continuous speech recognition dictation systems have appeared on the scene, one from Philips, and another from Lernout & Hauspie, as well as new versions of existing systems from IBM and Dragon.

Choosing the Best Headset Microphone

A quality noise canceling headset is needed to realize the full potential of today's speech recognition software in an office or warehouse environment. The best of these headsets are gradient microphones of order one - a technology which dates to the velocity microphones of the 1930s. The physics of gradient microphones were described by Harry F. Olsen in 1946.

How Speech Can be Used for Multi Language IVR Applications

International businesses are moving forward with telephony based spoken languageapplications. Of course, they also want one application to serve the language demographicsof all their customers. That is easy to do with touch tone systems—the tone of a<@SM>caller pressing a one in the United States sounds pretty much the same as in Italy,<@SM>France, and Mexico.

IBM Announces ViaVoice 98

IBM recently announced the release of ViaVoice 98, the next generation of IBM’s best selling speech recognition software, which features numerous innovations designed to make speech easier and more natural.

Speech Goes to the Races

Speech recognition is at the heart of the convergence between computers and telecommunications. It allows people to interact naturally with computer systems and applications. Nowhere are these benefits more fully realized than in a call center.

Speech Lets Users Wear Computers

Developments in speech technology and voice recognition are especially meaningful to wearable computer applications. Voice is a natural output medium for people and relieves restrictions caused by keyboard and pointing devices. Hand-free operations are currently possible for limited applications, and more robust systems are currently being tested. Voice can be used for computer control or for data dictation. Verbal reports could also be given and immediately transcribed for printed display directly entered into a database.

Speech Offers the Right Prescription for Healthcare

Speech recognition technology may be the ultimate "vertical market" product because each user can benefit from customized service, and specially selected software and hardware. This is especially true with medical and healthcare applications.

SPEECH RECONNAISSANCE

The upcoming SpeechTEK 98 show promises to be the largest ever, with many new products and applications being demonstrated. Our article on page 50 gives you a sneak preview of what to expect at the industry’s leading conference and exposition, to be held Oct. 27-28 at the New York Hilton.

Speech Turns the Internet Community into a Global Village

Speech, as the most natural interface, offers a great opportunity to enhance Internetcommunication for users. Several major companies have announced plans to offer Internetrelated speech applications, and more are planned.

What are VARs and Resellers Doing to Regain Margin as Product Prices Drop?

Even veterans of previous high technology price wars were surprised at how quickly the cost of continuous dictation software dropped after Dragon first introduced Naturally Speaking a little over a year ago, at what was then a breakthrough price intended to get speech into the mainstream - $695.

Forward Thinking

Surveying the Territory

Are organizations combining speaker verification with other biometrics? Are they combining it with speech recognition? Where is the industry headed?