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News » July 30, 2002
NEWFOUND COMMUNICATIONS AND NUANCE SPEECH TECHNOLOGIES ARE SELECTED BY ADACEL FOR ITS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SIMULATION AND TRAINING PACKAGE
Newfound software suite improves development and accuracy of speech recognition and VoiceXML applications
LAWRENCE, Mass. - July 30, 2002 -- Newfound Communications, Inc., a pioneer in VoiceXML, speech technologies and services, has released that the Newfound Advanced Grammar Management Kit, powered by speech recognition from Nuance, was selected by Adacel Inc. of Brossard (Montreal), Quebec, Canada, to support the voice recognition portion of Adacel's MaxSim air traffic control simulation and training system.
The Newfound Advanced Grammar Management Kit (AGM) dramatically increases the performance and accuracy of large-scale speech applications. The software can quickly and dynamically create specialized vocabularies or grammars that are most relevant to the exact context of the voice application. These can range from a highly interactive simulation trainer to a voice-driven email, calendars, FAQ lists, database entries or streaming news feeds.
Adacel specializes in providing operational and training applications for civil and military air traffic control and has simulator systems now in use in more than 30 countries around the world. The United States Air Force has advised that the recently announced contract awarded to Adacel by the Training Systems Product Group at Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force base has a potential value of up to US$72.5 million. The overall objective of the simulator program is to provide United States Air Force air traffic controllers with the tools needed to achieve and maintain proficiency in the skills necessary to effectively train in the control of the airspace in a military air traffic control environment with speech recognition and a simulator environment.
"The Newfound technology helps us to overcome one of the biggest obstacles in creating robust speech-driven applications, the proper management of large, complex, and changing grammars", said Lionel Leveille, President and CEO of Adacel Inc . "Newfound AGM technologies, professional services and speech recognition software from Nuance have been remarkably successful for arguably the most complex speech and multi-modal applications to date. Newfound and Nuance have been critical in building our leadership position in the international Air Traffic Control simulation markets."
In the field of speech recognition and linguistics, a grammar is defined as the set of words, combinations of words, rules, and usage conventions for a particular language or application. In the case of an air traffic control application such as the Adacel simulator, the grammar might include commonly used words and jargon, phrasing of flight numbers, runways, relationship of speeds and altitudes, and the broad context of how all these elements are used in fluid communication.
Rather than laboring through this most difficult and often problematic aspect of speech application development, now developers can build larger grammars with better accuracy in shorter development cycles. The Newfound AGM kit improves the accuracy and quickens the time it takes to develop a speech application by focusing the grammar and on only the data that is pertinent at that moment. This is especially critical when the application involves scenarios that change constantly such as which flights are in the air at any given time.
"Integrating the Adacel air traffic control application and speech recognition software from Nuance gives us a good opportunity to show how the AGM kit works with a very demanding application and very demanding clients," said Kris Hopkins, CEO of Newfound Communications. "But the major use for AGM will be to allow developers to replace speech scientists in creating complex grammars for a range of emerging voice applications such as email, FAQ lists, database entries, knowledge based queries and streaming news feeds. We can help our customers to deliver much better accuracy and performance for all these voice-search applications."
The AGM Kit adds exceptional value to current speech applications and creates new markets for voice solutions. Newfound replaces the tedious, menu-driven voice interfaces for applications supporting m-commerce, messaging, CRM, SFA and rich content with search capabilities. By enabling highly accurate speech recognition through large bodies of dynamic content, users are liberated to quickly request the information they need. As application usage increases and content is monitored more frequently, the AGM Kit's statistical models and the associated speech applications become more valuable and more relevant.
For additional information on Newfound Communications and evaluation of the AGM Kit can be obtained at http://www.newfoundcomm.net/About Newfound Communications
Newfound Communications, Inc. offers technology, tools, and professional services to fuel the speech recognition revolution. By working with Newfound, companies and developers bypass the largest impediment to creating speech-driven applications--the proper utilization of large complex grammars. For Newfound's customers, the combination of available grammar management software, technology and expertise provides unparalleled value; speeding voice application development, cutting development costs, improving applications and increasing customer satisfaction. www.newfoundcomm.net
About Adacel Inc.
Adacel Inc. is a subsidiary of Adacel Technologies (ASX:ADA). Adacel is the world leading solution provider specializing in air traffic and airport simulation for training and R & D. Adacel' s family of products includes: scalable, customizable line of simulations products ranging from single seat tower and radar trainers to multi-seat en-route centers and 360-degree full sized control-tower environments. Adacel delivers affordable, effective, simulations solutions for Defense, transport, industry and Government customers. Adacel's systems are deployed in more than 30 countries and are used by many of the world's leading aviation, airport and air traffic organizations. For more information please visit www.adacel.com.
About Nuance
Nuance is the speech software expert. Nuance speech recognition, voice authentication and text-to-speech products enable people to access information and services anytime, anywhere, and from any phone. And the Company's comprehensive service offerings simplify the delivery of speech solutions. In markets around the world, leading carriers and corporations - including British Airways, Nomura Securities, OnStar, Sprint PCS, United Parcel Service, Vodafone, and many more - work with Nuance to reduce costs, increase customer satisfaction and retention, create new sources of revenue and improve security. Nuance is headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif. and has offices around the world. For more information, visit www.nuance.com or call 1-888-NUANCE-8.
Nuance Communications contact:
Erin McCabe
Eastwick Communications
Phone: 650-480-4016
Email: erin@eastwick.com
Newfound Communications contact:
Kris Hopkins
Tel: 978-794-3878
Fax: 978-869-4976
Email: khopkins@newfoundcomm.net
Adacel Communications contact:
Beverly Wilks
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 450-672-3888 x263
Fax: 450-672-4434
Email: Beverly.Wilks@adacel.com