former high flyer...now at 15/16...voice recognition....VOXW:
(COMTEX) Voxware Receives $150K in New Contracts from U.S. Postal Ser
Voxware Receives $150K in New Contracts from U.S. Postal Service as They
Continue to Roll Out Speech-Based Solutions USPS Deploys Voice Solutions into
Five Additional Package and Distribution Centers
PRINCETON, N.J., Jan 22, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Voxware, Inc. (NASDAQ: VOXW),
a leading provider of noise robust speech interfaces for logistics, package
handling and industrial applications, announced today $150K in new contracts
from the U.S. Postal Service for additional speech-based systems for Manual Case
and Small Parcel Bundle Sorting.
The new contracts, totaling approximately $150K, are for Voxware's Small Parcel
and Bundle Sort (SPBS) system for U.S. Postal Process & Distribution and Bulk
Mail Centers in Fort Worth, Warrendale & Lehigh Valley, PA, and Cincinnati, and
a Manual Case Distribution System for the center in Tampa. The installations,
completed this week, bring to 18 the number of USPS facilities throughout the US
where Voxware has implemented their speech-based sortation solution. Speech
solutions for the USPS have generated approximately $700K in revenue last year
for Voxware.
"Package handling and mail sortation systems continue to be a robust target
segment for us," said Fred Rost, Voxware's Director of Marketing. "The Manual
Case system and SPBS are legacy products we have continued to support since our
acquisition of Verbex Voice Systems. This is a maturing market segment we
continue to serve, where we have a competitive advantage, and have demonstrated
performance and value. Though we have been focused over the last 18 months on
creating the market for our VoiceLogistics(TM) product line, we now believe that
as a result of considerable progress in that effort, we can begin to expand our
efforts to further penetrate and serve the parcel and mail handling segment
where we have an established market position," noted Rost.
Voxware's SPBS solution eliminates the `dexterity qualification' required of
USPS employees who sort mail with the traditional processes. Without voice,
employees have to juggle a keyboard with one hand and process mail with the
other hand. This process is difficult to learn and is not ergonomically
beneficial to employees. Unions support the use of voice in the SPBS process
because of the ergonomic benefits it offers USPS employees. Some employees who
are already familiar with scheme sortation use the Voxware system to reduce
symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Voxware's Manual Case mail sortation solution works with USPS' existing
processes and systems to achieve higher accuracy and more productive use of
employees' skills and time. The Voxware USPS solutions work with the Postal
Service NDSS database to assist mail route sorters in sorting mail pieces for
the correct carriers. Voxware's Manual Case system allows operators to speak
street address information using natural speech. Perhaps even more important
than improved accuracy and productivity, the Voxware solution dramatically
reduces training and memorization times now required with manual processes.
"One of the first reasons that we explored Voxware's voice solutions," explains
Larry Belair, Operation Support Specialist for the Minneapolis Processing &
Distribution Center, "was to reduce the amount of time required to train new
employees. Individuals who sort mail to the carrier level go through scheme
training on a specific zone or a specific city. That training entails about 30
to 60 hours of memorization training (which translates into 3 to 6 weeks) of the
addresses for a specific carrier. With the Voxware system, training is reduced
to only 20 to 30 minutes before our workers are up and processing mail.
Employees speak the entire street address off the front of the mail - the
Voxware system then returns a two-digit numeric code that represents the carrier
who will be distributing the mail. Workers no longer have to memorize which
carrier goes to which address, the Voxware system does that for them."
Currently, the Minneapolis facility uses two different Voxware systems for
processing and distribution. The first is the Manual Case Distribution System
that is used to sort mail down to the carrier level, meaning the carrier on the
city stations (or branches) -- the people who actually deliver the mail to
residences and businesses. The second system is the Small Parcel Bundle Sorter
(SPBS), where employees voice-input the first three digits of the zip code,
which then separates the mail to different regions.
"It takes weeks to train a new employee on a scheme. Now we can bring in someone
new and have them sorting mail within the hour. This is especially helpful
during holidays or when (scheme-trained) employees go on vacation," continued
Belair. "Additionally the speech system is dialect- and language-independent.
Our workforce is diverse here in Minneapolis. We are able to support the
different languages of many employees if needed, and are able to train the
system to recognize them speaking their native language as necessary, thereby
allowing them to more easily perform their jobs."
The Voxware solutions are patented to work in high-noise industrial
environments. In package sortation environments, employees may not be able to
hear each other, but the Voxware recognizer continues to recognize speech
accurately. Voxware's superior out-of-vocabulary rejection allows employees to
ask questions or have a side conversation without interrupting or causing the
speech system to error.
Voxware solutions deliver to USPS improved productivity, decreased requirements
for overtime and training, support workforce diversity and flexibility, and
improved ergonomic conditions that reduce physical limitations. Traditional
sortation methods require intensive training and physical dexterity. In the new
e-conomy, Voxware's speech-based solutions are delivering the U.S. Postal
Service a competitive advantage. Speed and accuracy help ensure customer
satisfaction, and their ease of use and other benefits see to the needs of USPS
employees in the workplace.
About Voxware, Inc.
Voxware is a leading provider of interactive voice-based solutions for picking,
receiving, return goods processing, cross-docking and put-away operations in the
distribution and logistics industries. Voxware solutions are available for all
major market industry sectors, including consumer goods manufacturers (CGM),
consumer packaged goods (CPG), direct to consumer (e-commerce and catalog), food
and grocery, package handling, retail, third-party logistics providers (3PLs),
and wholesale distribution.
Voxware solutions are also deployed in package handling, mail sorting and
manufacturing inspection operations. Voxware's corporate headquarters are in
Princeton, New Jersey, with regional offices in Boston, Massachusetts and the
Netherlands. Additional information about Voxware can be obtained on the
Internet at voxware.com.
This news release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements are
subject to certain factors that may cause Voxware's plans to differ or results
to vary from those expected including the risks associated with Voxware's need
to introduce new and enhanced products and services in order to increase market
penetration and the risk of obsolescence of its products and services due to
technological change; Voxware's need to attract and retain key management and
other personnel with experience in providing integrated voice-based solutions
for e-logistics, specializing in the supply chain sector; the potential for
substantial fluctuations in Voxware's results of operations; competition from
others; Voxware's evolving distribution strategy and dependence on its
distribution channels; the potential that speech products will not be widely
accepted; Voxware's need for additional capital; and a variety of risks set
forth from time to time in Voxware's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Voxware undertakes no obligation to publicly release results of any
of these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unexpected
results.
Voxware(R) and VoiceLogistics(TM) are trademarks of Voxware, Inc. All other
product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Voxware, Inc.
Frederick L. Rost II
(617) 497-0200 x1455
or
Voxware, Inc.
Nicholas Narlis
(609) 514-4100 x4111
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KEYWORD: NEW JERSEY
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS
E-COMMERCE
INTERNET
MANUFACTURING
SOFTWARE
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