Subj: Lernout & Hauspie Introduces Award-Winning Continuous Speech Editing and Format
Date: 97-09-28 21:04:26 EDT
From: AOL News
BCC: MMSchnaidt
IEPER, Belgium, BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 28, 1997--
Breakthrough Voice Recognition Software, Kurzweil VoiceCommands(TM),
Lets Users Control MS Word With Natural Voice Commands,
Simplifies Access to Word Features and Functions
Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products (NASDAQ:LHSPF, EASDAQ:LHSP.ED)
(L&H), today announced the availability of Kurzweil VoiceCommands(TM)
on the US market, a breakthrough continuous speech "command and
control" product. This continuous speech recognition-based software
enables users to format and edit Microsoft Word documents by voice
rather than keyboard and mouse, reducing the time required to revise
and correct documents. The company said that the product is one in
a series of continuous speech recognition products -- including
offerings for continuous dictation pathology and general business --
that it plans to bring to the market by the end of this year.
Kurzweil VoiceCommands allows users to speak naturally and
understands a variety of commands for any given action. Other
Microsoft Word compatible products available today have a limited and
rigid set of commands which the user must memorize and employ.
Kurzweil VoiceCommands is designed for any user that regularly
creates, formats and edits Microsoft Word documents. Formatting can
be a time consuming aspect of the overall document creation process
when performed with a mouse and keyboard. Kurzweil VoiceCommands
significantly reduces the amount of time required for this process
and allows users to discover more editing and formatting features.
"Our primary objective when we acquired Kurzweil AI in June was
to leverage the combined speech product expertise of both companies
and accelerate our continuous speech product development efforts,"
said Koen Bouwers, president of L&H's dictation division. "With the
natural language processing technology used in Kurzweil VoiceCommands
L&H distinguishes itself clearly from the competition in the
continuous speech and dictation arena."
Kurzweil VoiceCommands Features
Key features of Kurzweil VoiceCommands for Microsoft Word include:
-- Enables users to issue a single voice command to accomplish
many functions that would require multiple mouse clicks or keyboard
strokes. For example, users can issue a single 'voice command', such
as, "insert a table with 3 rows and 4 columns" instead of having to
search through Word's menus and toolbars to find the needed
functionality. In addition, Kurzweil VoiceCommands allows users to
choose one command from as many as eight variations of a basic
command, such as "set the font of this paragraph to twenty" or "make
font of this paragraph twenty points."
-- Facilitates user access to complex features and functionality
hidden within Microsoft Word's menu structure.
-- An easy-to-use help system, with example sentences for the
commands, and a complete description of the command language.
-- Ability to save a separate profile for each user. Speaker
profiles specifically designed to increase the accuracy for male,
female, and teenage users.
Pricing, System Requirements, and Availability
The estimated street price for Kurzweil VoiceCommands for
Microsoft Word, which includes software on a CD-ROM, documentation, a
demo and practice tutorial, and the Andrea noise-canceling microphone,
is $59.95. System requirements include a Pentium 100 or better, 24 MB
RAM, 20 MB hard disk space and Microsoft Word 97 or Word 7.
The product is being distributed by Alpha Software and is now
available in over 3,500 retail locations in North America, including
CompUSA, EggHead, Staples and Office Depot. Interested parties can get
additional information and send us feedback by visiting the L&H
Website at www.lhs.com/kurzweil or by calling 1-800-380-1234.
About Lernout & Hauspie
Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products (L&H) is an international
leader in the development of advanced speech technology for various
commercial applications and products. The company is divided into four
divisions: core technologies; dictation, a division dedicated to
discrete and continuous speech offerings; translation services and
products; and Internet services. Its four core technologies are
automatic speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), digital
speech compression and text-to-text (translation).
The company has its worldwide headquarters in Ieper, Belgium, its
U.S. headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts and international sales
offices throughout Asia.
-0-
This news release contains forward-looking statements. Such
forward-looking statements, include, without limitation, that the
Kurzweil VoiceCommands(TM) is intended to significantly reduce the
amount of time required for formatting; that the product is the first
of a series of continuous speech dictation products that L&H plans to
bring to market over the next three months; that the product is
scheduled to be available by late September and that Kurzweil
VoiceCommands' features will perform as stated herein. Readers are
cautioned that such forward-looking statements are subject to material
and adverse change and involve risks and uncertainties, including,
without limitation, risks associated with rapid technological change,
product development and introduction and competition. The statements
contained herein speak only as of the date of this release. L&H
expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly
any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change
in L&H's expectations or any change in events, conditions or
circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Lernout & Hauspie can be found on the World Wide Web at
www.lhs.com . All product names and trademarks mentioned herein are
trademarks of L&H and their respective subsidiaries.
--30--kl/bos* ms/ap/sf
CONTACT:
Lernout & Hauspie
Audrey Pobre, 617/221-8341,
apobre@lhs.com
or
Ellen Spooren, 617/221-8344
espooren@lhs.com
or
Fitzgerald Communications,
Jim Williams, 617/494-9500
jwilliams@fitzcomm.com
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