Traditionally, speech technology has targeted large enterprises or large-volume products such as command-and-control-enabled cell phones. These systems required large user numbers to justify the investment, but speech technology is breaking free from this limitation, offering promising market opportunities for products and services for small and home offices (SOHOs) — even for individual professionals. This is the main conclusion of a study on speech applications carried by SRIC-BI.
Customer credit checking. This speech-enabled software package enables companies such as online businesses and wireless carriers to qualify customers and conduct a risk-assessment analysis. Lightbridge recently announced the introduction of a credit-check module into its credit-risk-assessment solution.
Interactive voice response (IVR) in a box. This system targets the small to medium businesses market. Vocomo Software Corporation introduced a low-cost turnkey IVR appliance that includes all software and hardware elements necessary to deliver speech-enabled IVR.
Time and attendance recording. Lavie Timetech announced the introduction of speech-enabled solutions that record the attendance details of mobile or home-office workers.
Real estate information. NewportWorks has developed an information tool for real estate professionals. The solution enables realtors to speak an address into their cell phones to access available real estate data
Additionally, SRIC-BI identified the following movements that will affect future speech-enabled applications in a wide range of industries:
· From interactive to proactive applications
· From ‘hard’ speech recognition to ‘soft’ speech technology
· From systems gatekeeper to forensic tool
· From well-defined markets to widespread penetration.
2003-07-08
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