IN-DEPTH

The main article in this issue is on the role of speech platforms in deploying effective and reliable speech applications. It gives a better understanding of the main features you need to care about when choosing a speech platform. The paper also presents the latest release of Loquendo's platforms: VoxNauta Lite 6.0.

>> Go to the article.

To endorse W3C Recommendation for Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) specification, this article will highlight why SSML language may enlarge the usage of TTS technology in a variety of contexts and applications. The main features of the language are described with extensive examples. You can test them on the Loquendo interactive demo (here).

>> Go to the article.

STANDARDS CORNER

• SSML 1.0 reaches W3C Recommendation
  September 8, 2004
  Congratulations! The Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML 1.0) Specification is now a W3C Recommendation. This is an important milestone for TTS engine producers (like Loquendo) and for speech application market.
  Read the W3C press release and testimonials that acknowledge this achievement.
• VoiceXML 2.1 is W3C Last Call Working Draft
  July 28, 2004
  This specification is an add-on to VoiceXML 2.0 W3C Recommendation. It defines a set of 8 commonly implemented additional features, the major are: to reference grammar and scripts dynamically, to allow markers in a TTS prompt, to fetch XML data to be fed in a VoiceXML page, to record speech input for each recognition, to extend transfer call types, etc. VoiceXML 2.1 is designed to be fully backwards-compatible with VoiceXML 2.0.
  The next specification step is to provide an Implementation Report.
  
• New Working Draft released for EMMA
  September 1, 2004
  Extensible Multi-Modal Annotation (EMMA) language is an interface language to represent speech recognition results or results from other modalities (i.e. gesture or handwriting) in a multi-modal application framework. It is very important for well-known protocol interfaces, like Media Resource Communication Language (MRCP).
  The new Working Draft is almost complete the next step will be to become a Last Call Working Draft.
• W3C Workshop on Multimodal Interaction
  July 19/20, 2004
  Sophia Antipolis, France
  This Workshop was co-founded by W3C and European Commission's IST Programme. The W3C Workshop was an opportunity to discuss W3C advances in Multimodal Interaction and to provide feedback and suggestions for future work.
  The schedule and the paper presented are accessible to read further on this activity.

LOQUENDO Products

• Loquendo Releases VoxNauta Lite 6.0 Speech Platform
  September 9, 2004
  Loquendo is pleased to announce the latest release of Loquendo platform: VoxNauta Lite 6.0, which is the result of Loquendo's long experience in providing high-quality speech technologies and minimizing the customer's service deployment effort. It is a complete multi-lingual open solution for building customized voice service and improving communication through voice access to information - anywhere, anytime. >> More
• Loquendo Launches Phonetic Learning Technology
  August 10, 2004
  Loquendo presents the latest development for Loquendo ASR technology: the Loquendo Phonetic Learner. It is a semi-automatic tool able to discover new undefined frequent formulations and to elicit additional pronunciation variants for the expected formulations. This is particularly useful to improve performance for non-native speakers and regional accents. >> More
• A new female voice to reinforce Loquendo's presence in the French market
  July 22, 2004
  Loquendo is pleased to present the latest development in the world of Loquendo TTS synthetic speech: Juliette, the brand new French female voice to accompany Bernard and Sophie, Loquendo's French personas. >> More

Clients & Partners

• Loquendo Technology chosen by Targex Corporation
  September 07, 2004
  Loquendo's Text-To-Speech was selected by Targex Corp. based in Miami, Florida to speech enable their leading vehicle tracking product "Eagle Eye Embedded AVL Unit". The Loquendo embedded TTS software will enable Targex customers to enjoy natural sounding speech output from their on-board vehicle equipment. >> More

Events

• SpeechTEK 2004,
  New York Marriott Marquis, 13 - 16 September 2004
  Meet Loquendo at BOOTH # 509

  Loquendo's presentations
  
  Tuesday, September 14, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  Technology Insights: Making Speech Available to Everyone
  Piergiorgio Vittori, area manager, Loquendo
  
  Wednesday, September 15, 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
  Industry Visions Keynote
  Marco Romagnoli, CEO and managing director, Loquendo