02/23/19 TABLE: Cool Applications That Listen to What You Say

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Cool Applications That Listen to What You Say

AUTO ATTENDANT from Parlance Corp. lets Boston Globe staffers dial colleagues just by speaking their names into the telephone. The speech-recognition software comes from BBN Technologies. Parlance's system can support 10,000 names.
Unisys' prototype of an AUTOMATED MORTGAGE BROKER queries callers about their loan requirements, runs through options, explains technical terms, and provides rate quotes. The system is trained to recognize more than 50,000 words and talks using clips of real speech.
E*Trade Group was first out with VOICE-AUTOMATED TRADING of stocks and options nationwide, helped by speech-recognition software from Applied Language Technology (ALTech). You can speak the company's name or the ticker symbol, which many customers prefer to touchtones.
Looking for a Chinese restaurant in Toronto? Call YELLOW PAGES VoiceNet, a voice-based Yellow Pages from Tele-Direct Publications, which uses speech-recognition from Philips. Meanwhile, users of Bell South's voice Yellow Pages from ALTech can check auto ads and get stock quotes.
United Airlines staff chat by phone with an ALTech program to check availability of airline flights and get SEAT RESERVATIONS at special discounted rates without tying up United reservation clerks. The system learns to anticipate callers' travel tastes.
General Magic's NETWORK SERVICE, called Serengeti, will retrieve voicemail, E-mail, or faxes from a unified mailbox. Drivers: It'll read these messages aloud while you steer the car. It makes use of a technology called text-to-speech, which turns digital text into synthesized speech.
Conversa allows cybernauts to enjoy VOICE-BASED WEB BROWSING using Microsoft's Internet Explorer. They can gallivant around the Web by speaking hyperlinked words into a microphone. But they'll need a customized version of IE 4.0. And a mouse is required to minimize windows.

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