Speech Recognition

You talking to me?

Speech recognition may be the Web's killer application

Since the invention of the PC, people have been using the keyboard to interface with the computer. Today, thanks to faster processors and better software, it is finally getting practical to "talk" to your computer.

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In fact, companies throughout the world are delivering better service for less money by implementing voice-recognition technology. The applications are nearly limitless, including true banking by phone, voice-activated dialing, etc. Some even say that natural language speech recognition is the web's killer application. It may allow the millions of people without a PC to surf the web using their voice over the phone, for example.

The current leading software is 90+% accurate and tracks at roughly 150 wpm, according to IDG.

"Speech recognition is a key competitive technology in telephony markets. It is
 rapidly becoming a critical technology in personal computers, where
 decreasing cost and increasing computer power will make it an important
 adjunct to the graphical user interface, particularly as users begin to phone
 their PC for information. The consumer, industrial, and automotive markets are
 moving into early stages that may lead to extensive use of speech recognition,
 particularly with small and/or portable devices. 

 Some companies are using speech recognition to differentiate their products
 and services--and creating new product categories. Other companies are
 taking advantage of the technology to make their operations more efficient."

			- William S. Meisel, PhD, Editor of "Speech Recognition Update"

Some of the most interesting work is in the segment called self-service natural speech systems that are speaker-independent. Click on web demos to go to pages that show how to experience the surprisingly usable, albeit still imperfect, state-of-the-art.

In the future, handheld computers will have microphones and transcribe your words to text or execute commands upon hearing your voice. Imagine reaching for your PalmPilot and saying "buy 100 shares of IBM" while you are in line at the grocery store. There is a virtually unlimited opportunity to leverage this technology.

"According to Voice Information Associates, a Lexington, Mass.,
research firm, Dragon has lots of room to grow. They expect it to
feed off an explosion in the speech-recognition market, which they
estimate to reach $3 billion by 2001 as manufacturers race to
incorporate the technology into devices like cell phones and
hand-held organizers. " -Fortune

We welcome you to further investigate the many implications of this emerging technlogy. Our glossary will familiarize you with some teminology. You will then be ready to explore the links offered in our bibliography.

And, as a reminder, this page is brought to you by Team Six of Emory EMBA '99.

Reggie Bradford, Mark Brinkley, Duncan Facey, Akil Fisher, Chris Lewis