eDig joins with others to create voice standards for mobile devices
Tuesday April 13, 8:04 am Eastern Time
IBM, Intel, Philips and Mobile Device Manufacturers Team
Up To Establish Voice Technology Standards
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 1999--Leaders in speech recognition and mobile
technologies today announced at the DemoMobile 99 conference the formation of the Voice
Technology Initiative for Mobile Enterprise Solutions (VoiceTIMES). VoiceTIMES' goal is to
coordinate the technical requirements needed for companies to build and deploy solutions using
voice technologies and handheld mobile devices. Inaugural VoiceTIMES alliance members
include Dictaphone, e.Digital, IBM, Intel, Norcom Electronics, Olympus and Philips.
With the explosive growth of mobile devices and the increasing demand for network access, the
VoiceTIMES initiative was formed to define specifications for how voice commands and
information are transmitted and received by existing and future mobile devices. Currently, there
are no standards in place for mobile speech-enabled devices. The VoiceTIMES alliance
plans to deliver the specifications and industry cooperation to build interoperable, cost-effective
mobile solutions with voice technology.
''In today's world of pervasive computing, users want simple, fast and hassle free mobile
computing devices to connect and communicate,'' said W.S. ''Ozzie'' Osborne, general
manager of IBM Speech Systems. ''Through joint collaboration, the VoiceTIMES alliance aims
to eliminate complexities for the consumer and solutions integrator, while providing future
generations of standard compliant speech-enabled mobile products.''
Today, companies wanting to use speech recognition, speaker identification and speech
synthesis with mobile devices are faced with high development costs and proprietary,
incomplete products. Members of the VoiceTIMES alliance plan to solve many of the technical
issues in both hardware and software that arise while incorporating voice technology in mobile
enterprise solutions. As additional technical specifications are created, they will be submitted to
the industry standards bodies for consideration as open standards solutions.
One of the initial joint efforts of the VoiceTIMES alliance will be to conduct highly targeted
research studies to identify enterprise solutions where mobile devices will significantly enhance
-- and in some cases change -- the way companies do business. Since remote, just in time
access to information and computer resources is viewed by professionals as a major
competitive advantage, mobile Internet/intranet access will be a primary focus for the alliance.
''The human voice will become the user interface for the next generation of productivity tools.
As computing technologies become increasingly embedded in a range of products, speech is
the one convenient, consistent and natural way people can effectively interact with systems,''
said Chris Shipley, editor of DemoLetter and executive producer of the Demo Mobile 99
conference. ''A move toward standards that support speech technology as a consistent user
interface and that facilitate the user's access to information is fundamental to making this vision
a reality.''
VoiceTIMES Members Represent Key Elements of Mobile Computing
By joining together leaders in microprocessor and system design, mobile devices and consumer
electronics, the VoiceTIMES alliance companies offer a rich array of experience and technology.
These initial members will contribute -- IBM -- expertise in speech recognition technology and
mobile computing, toolkits for customization, evaluation and testing for mobile devices,
transcription extensions, file formats and client/server protocols.
-- e.Digital -- expertise in the design and development of digital mobile devices interfacing with
PCs and the Internet. e.Digital is working with Intel on advanced digital voice recorders.
-- Dictaphone -- expertise in the areas of digital recorder design and development and
enterprise related customer environments.
-- Intel -- expertise in microprocessor and system design. In addition, Intel will work closely with
IBM to help identify optimal user scenarios for mobile workers to use distributed speech
applications.
-- Norcom Electronics -- expertise in creating and bringing to market professional
dictation/speech recognition products and solutions.
-- Olympus -- expertise as an innovator in the digital recorder field. Olympus has in the past
worked with other recorder providers, such as Philips, to create recording standards for digital
speech.
-- Philips -- expertise in electronic components, speech technology and mobile productivity tools.
Organizations interested in learning more about the VoiceTIMES alliance can visit
www.software.ibm.com/speech/overview/business/voicetimes.html.
VoiceTIMES Alliance Complements Other Industry Efforts
VoiceTIMES will be defining the structure of voice data used in enterprise solutions including
transmission over other wireless standards. The work to establish speech technology standards
extends beyond mobile enterprise to all parts of the computing environment. Voice recognition,
identification and verification solutions that are currently being integrated into a wide range of
products and standards for integration can not be developed fast enough by one group or
alliance. As a result, other standards alliances are forming to address voice requirements in the
areas of accessing information from the Internet and wireless communications networks. IBM
and many of its VoiceTIMES allies are also participating in these initiatives including VXML,
Speech for Java and World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and will coordinate VoiceTIMES'
activities into the other alliances as standards develop.
About IBM
As a pioneer in speech recognition, the company is focused on developing and supporting open
standards that help accelerate the creation of content, servers and browsers that allow speech
recognition technology to be easily integrated into voice, data and applications infrastructures.
IBM's ViaVoice speech recognition technology is based on 30 years of speech recognition
research and development. With a portfolio of more than 100 patents, an established R&D
business worldwide, and a robust, proven speech technology available in many languages, IBM
is a leader in speech recognition.
IBM has established a reputation for developing and engineering innovative mobile solutions.
Through its award-winning ThinkPad notebook computers, WorkPad PC Companion and
CrossPad products, the company is recognized as a leader in mobile computing. For more
information about IBM, visit the World Wide Web at ibm.com.
Member Comments on VoiceTIMES Initiative
''Dictaphone has been a leader in developing mobile and enterprise-wide solutions for the
Healthcare, Legal, and Law Enforcement Markets. We believe VoiceTIMES will establish open
standards for mobile voice and data devices to deliver ''user friendly'' integrated systems
solutions.''
-- Rob Schwager, senior vice president and general manager, Dictaphone Voice Systems
Division
''e.Digital has been innovating advanced digital mobile solutions for the business dictation and
medical industry for the last three years. We believe VoiceTIMES will allow e.Digital to expand
development of mobile information gathering devices employing speech and leverage our
product designs into many additional industry solutions.''
-- Fred Falk, president & CEO of e.Digital Corporation
''Intel is excited to be working with the member companies and IBM to establish the market for
fully integrated enterprise solutions using IBM's speech technologies. Innovation in speech
capable handheld devices and Internet-based applications will grow rapidly in 1999. Intel
Architecture-based products will deliver the components, platforms and high volume servers
to provide complete solutions to business users.''
-- Ron Whittier, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Content Group
''Norcom has been developing mobile solutions for physicians in the Medical Industry for the last
few years. VoiceTIMES will enable us to develop better medical solutions and expand our
voiceprinting capability to other industries.''
-- Bruce Hansen, CEO of Norcom Electronics Corp.
''Olympus has been working with several customers to develop mobile solutions for Insurance
Investigators. These solutions require combining the information from our Digital Cameras and
Digital recorders. VoiceTIMES will help standardize the way companies capture, store and
access digital information.''
-- Michael Handa, assistant division manager, Digital Imaging and Systems Group, Olympus
''Philips Speech Processing is a world market leader in analogue and digital speech input
devices, successfully serving professional dictation markets, such as legal and medical, for
more than 40 years. We believe VoiceTIMES will allow Philips to expand its market reach of
mobile dictation solutions and leverage our products into additional industry solutions.''
-- Ron van den Bos, CEO and president, Philips Speech Processing
IBM and ViaVoice are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation. Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation in the United States and/or
other countries. Other company, product, and service names are the trademarks or service
marks of their respective owners.
Contact:
Dictaphone e.Digital Corporation
Robert Wick Robert Putnam
(212) 682-0600 (619) 679-1504
rwick@dictaphone.com robert@edig.com
or
Intel Norcom
Marion Koehler Kevin Ross
(408) 765-3547 (203) 374-1500
marion.koehler@intel.com kross@norcom-electronics.com
or
Olympus' PR Representative Philips Speech Processing
Karen Thomas Ralph Preclik
(516) 549-7575 +43 1 60101 1128
kthomas@thomas-pr.com rpreclik@austria.ds.philips.com
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