speech recognition
Latest
FineDigital gets official with speech-recognizing Bio GPS
FineDigital was showing off one iteration of a speech-recognizing GPS unit only last month, but it looks like it's already turned out a more refined version, complete with a spiffy new name. Now dubbed the FineDrive Bio, this one packs the usual 7-inch touchscreen, along with DMB mobile TV support, dual SD card slots for some added storage, and FineDigital's FineSR speech-recognition technology, which will supposedly recognize up to 450,000 words. Look for this one to hit Korea on July 7th in both 2GB and 4GB versions for 499,000 won and 549,000 won, respectively (or about $475 and $520).[Via Tech Digest]
Garmin's pricey nuvi 850 shows up fashionably late
Quite frankly, we were a touch overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of new nüvis announced for CES, but apparently, Garmin has managed to recuperate from its own outpouring and is dishing out yet another newcomer. On the docket today is the nüvi 850, a Bluetooth-less navigator that attempts to compensate for its lack of handsfree support by featuring a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 resolution touchscreen, a rechargeable Li-ion good for around four hours, a microSD slot, speech recognition, a 3D map view, support for MSN Direct and a built-in media player. Additionally, you'll find an FM transmitter, audio out and an internal (read: non flip-up) antenna to ratchet the style factor up a notch. According to Garmin, this fairly potent device will be up for grabs in Q2 for upwards of $800.[Via NaviGadget]
Microsoft adds speech recognition to Live Search
If your hands and fingers are beat up from too much typing on your Windows Mobile piece, we may (or may not) have just the solution for you. Available now, Microsoft has released an updated version of Live Search for both Windows Mobile 5 and 6 that incorporates speech recognition for business listings and locations. Other gee-whiz features include searches for gas prices, hours of operations for business, and even being able to connect to your GPS for location-based stuff.
IBM's SiSi virtually translates speech to sign language
We've seen a wide array of devices designed to help the deaf communicate and experience life more fully, and IBM is hoping to make yet another advancement in the field with its SiSi (Say It Sign It) system. Developed at an IBM research center in Hursley, England, the technology works "by using speech recognition to convert a conversation into text," after which SiSi "translates the text into the gestures used in sign language and animates a customizable avatar that carries them out." Currently, the system is still labeled a prototype and only works with British sign language, but there's already plans to commercialize the invention in due time. For a better look at exactly what SiSi can do, take a peek at the video demonstration waiting after the jump.
VoiceSignal ports voice recognition software to iPhone
Those not preoccupied with unlocking their iPhone may be interested in what VoiceSignal's talking about, as it has apparently ported several of its applications to Apple's handset. Currently deemed "proof-of-concept applications," both VSearch (speak for search keywords) and VTunes (speak a band you'd like to hear) enable users to simply talk to their mobile and allow the software to handle the rest. Of course, speech recognition apps can be explained much better with, you know, sound, so be sure and check out the video of VTunes in action after the break.
XNA Challenge: Abdux
Andre Furtado isn't an artist, as he's quick to tell me when showing off the somewhat simple drawings and animations of his XNA Challenge entry Abdux. But while visual art might not be his specialty, Furtado's work shows a certain artistry in the simple, natural input it uses.Furtado first made his mark on the XNA development world with a speech recognition modification to the platform's built-in Space War game. The mod used simple spoken commands like "move" and "fire" to control a pair of helper ships and won Furtado a Brazilian XNA competition. He hasn't gotten similar speech commands into his new alien abduction game yet, but he says he plans to let people create plagues like earthquakes with just the sound of their voice. "Perhaps in the future we will be made fun of for using keyboards and mice and gamepads to control games," he tells me.Furtado isn't in the competition for personal glory, but for experience and knowledge that he can take back to his fellow students in Brazil. "With technology like XNA, students and organizations can easily build a roadmap to game development without much knowledge of programming," Furtado said. Check out some early video of his latest creation after the jump.
Remote "exploit" of Vista Speech reveals fatal flaw
Run for the hills, everybody, Windows Vista has been proven vulnerable to the hax0rs mere days after its release -- Steve Ballmer should clearly just give up now and resign while he still has a bit of dignity left. Or not. The vulnerability in question is hardly a hack at all, at least of the traditional variety, instead this one relies on you turning up your speakers and leaving your microphone on. See, the new Windows Speech Recognition in Windows Vista has all sorts of new abilities, but unlike Mac OS speech recognition of yore, no keyword is required to make your computer start listening to what you have to say, meaning any stray word could be interpreted as a command by Windows if it has the right tone and is within Vista's repertoire. Microsoft also hasn't done anything to ensure speech recognition doesn't listen to the sounds coming out of your computer via the speakers, all of which means that if you visit a malicious website with the speakers turned up and the mic turned on (and Speech Recognition loaded, of course) an audio file could wake SR, open Windows Explorer, delete the documents folder and then empty the recycle bin. Not exactly the most likely of occurrences, but certain security types are already up in arms, and Microsoft has confirmed the potential problem, but merely recommends users turn of their speakers and/or microphone, along with killing any apps trying to attack them with such verbage. Not the greatest vote of confidence, so perhaps we'll be seeing a fix for this from Microsoft before too long.[Via Slashdot]Read - Vista Speech Command exposes remote exploitRead - Microsoft confirms
Better speech recognition through chipsets
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are hoping to do for speech recognition what graphics cards did for gaming -- that is, make it better. The idea being to use specialized computer chips in order to overcome the problems inherent with software-based solutions, which'll also lower the power consumption required and allow for better speech recognition in things like cellphones. And according to the researchers, it's working, although currently limited to a not-very-practical 1,000 word vocabulary. The technology isn't just for dictating your email though; one of the many possible noted examples of applications is making search available on a specific piece of dialog from a movie. Wonder if they've been having any secret back room meetings with a certain rumor-happy video game company?
