Monday February 7, 8:10 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Lernout & Hauspie Brings Continuous Dictation to Handheld Devices for the
First Time
Presentations at Demo 2000 Highlight How Speech Enhances Portable and Handheld Devices' Capabilities; Company
Demonstrates Industry's First Continuous Speech Dictation Engine for Handheld Device
INDIAN WELLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2000-- Lernout & Hauspie (NASDAQ: LHSP; EASDAQ: LHSP) (L&H(TM)) today showcased
solutions that highlight how it is moving speech and language technologies beyond the desktop to a growing number of handheld, mobile and wireless devices,
significantly increasing the ease of use and utility of those devices. L&H demonstrated an industry first: its prototype handheld device that has a large vocabulary
continuous speech dictation engine to easily send and receive e-mail, surf the Web and conduct e-commerce transactions. It also showcased a customer's solution
that combines L&H's speech user interface with a cordless phone system to allow small businesses and home offices to manage communications from any phone,
anywhere in the world. The demonstrations took place here in Indian Wells at the Demo 2000 conference, held from February 6th through 8th.
The solutions demonstrated by L&H at the Demo conference add to the growing number of handheld, portable and wireless platforms and devices that can be
speech enabled with L&H technologies. The L&H offerings have been designed to fill the growing need for a simplified input and output mechanism for devices with
limited display and input capacity and that are often used in situations where ``hands-free'' operation is required (such as an automobile).
``The small size and portability of PDAs, handheld and mobile devices has made them tremendously popular, and at the same time has provided a huge opportunity
for the speech industry,'' said Gaston Bastiaens, president and CEO of L&H. ``Most users employ handheld and mobile devices on the go, often requiring `hands
free' use. Most also find that manual information input and output is awkward because of the small size of handheld and mobile devices. The most intuitive, logical
solution to this dilemma is a speech-enabled interface that allows users and machines to communicate in a simple, natural, hands-free manner.''
Industry's First Large Vocabulary Speech for Linux PDA
While at the conference, L&H demonstrated its patent-pending, prototype handheld device for Linux platforms equipped with its large vocabulary speech
recognition engine - an industry first -and its L&H RealSpeak text-to-speech (TTS) technology engine. During the presentation L&H demonstrated how users can
employ the device to ``listen'' to e-mail summaries as well as full-text e-mails; issue natural language commands such as ``next message'' or ``send e-mail''; and
dictate e-mails. As part of its live presentation, L&H also demonstrated how its solutions allow a user with a wireless Web connection to make simple web queries
(``What is the Weather in Fresno''; complete an e-commerce transaction, such as purchasing a book from Amazon.com; and conduct a stock trade execution on
Etrade or Charles Schwab .com (``i.e. buy 200 share of Eink'').
``Speech User Interfaces (SUI) make PDA's easier and faster to use,'' said Amy Wohl, president of Wohl Associates. ``They provide an important interface option
for users and will expand the market to more users and applications.''
CyberGenie Uses Speech to Give Small Businesses Virtual Personal Assistant
L&H customer Cygnion Corporation demonstrated its CyberGenie CG 2400, a multi-line, multi-user, expandable PC Cordless Phone System. It uses an
L&H-based speech-enabled interface to help small offices and home offices cost effectively manage their communications from any phone, anywhere in the world.
CyberGenie's Virtual Personal Assistant system employs L&H's multi-lingual automatic speech recognition (ASR) and its TTS technology powered by
CyberGenie@Work software. This enables users to access their contact database via telephone, to receive notification anywhere in the world of voice mail, e-mail
and fax receipts and to have e-mail and faxes read to them in their originating language.
The CG 2400 also uses L&H's ASR and TTS technologies to support its voice activated or DTMF personal assistant, allowing calls placed to the small business to
be answered by the system and prompting the caller to simply speak the name of the person they wish to speak to.
About Lernout & Hauspie
Lernout & Hauspie (L&H) is a global leader in advanced speech and language solutions for vertical markets, computers, automobiles, telecommunications,
embedded products, consumer goods and the Internet. The company is making the speech user interface (SUI) the keystone of simple, convenient interaction
between humans and technology, and is using advanced translation technology to break down language barriers. L&H's products and services originate in four basic
areas: automatic speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), digital speech and music compression (SMC) and text-to-text (translation). For more information,
please visit Lernout & Hauspie on the World Wide Web at www.lhs.com or www.lhsl.com.
This press release contains forward-looking information. Such statements include, without limitation but not limited to statements involving L&H's plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions. There can be no assurance that actual results will not be materially different than those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.
Readers are cautioned that such forward- looking statements involve risk and uncertainties, including, with limitation, the risk that the company or one or more of the
companies licensees will not successfully complete the development of these products on a timely basis, if at all, that the technologies will not perform as anticipated,
and the general risks associated with the intense competition and rapid technological change characteristic of the speech technology market. The forward-looking
statements are also subject to risks set forth in L&H's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained herein
speak only as of the date of this Report. L&H expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to
reflect any change in L&H's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
All product names and trademarks mentioned herein are trademarks of L&H or their respective owners.
Contact:
Lernout & Hauspie
Worldwide PR/IR
Ellen Spooren, (781)-203-5344
espooren@lhsl.com
or
Corporate Comm. US:
Audrey Pobre, (781) 203-5341
apobre@lhsl.com
Company Press Release
Lernout & Hauspie Brings Continuous Dictation to Handheld Devices for the
First Time
Presentations at Demo 2000 Highlight How Speech Enhances Portable and Handheld Devices' Capabilities; Company
Demonstrates Industry's First Continuous Speech Dictation Engine for Handheld Device
INDIAN WELLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2000-- Lernout & Hauspie (NASDAQ: LHSP; EASDAQ: LHSP) (L&H(TM)) today showcased
solutions that highlight how it is moving speech and language technologies beyond the desktop to a growing number of handheld, mobile and wireless devices,
significantly increasing the ease of use and utility of those devices. L&H demonstrated an industry first: its prototype handheld device that has a large vocabulary
continuous speech dictation engine to easily send and receive e-mail, surf the Web and conduct e-commerce transactions. It also showcased a customer's solution
that combines L&H's speech user interface with a cordless phone system to allow small businesses and home offices to manage communications from any phone,
anywhere in the world. The demonstrations took place here in Indian Wells at the Demo 2000 conference, held from February 6th through 8th.
The solutions demonstrated by L&H at the Demo conference add to the growing number of handheld, portable and wireless platforms and devices that can be
speech enabled with L&H technologies. The L&H offerings have been designed to fill the growing need for a simplified input and output mechanism for devices with
limited display and input capacity and that are often used in situations where ``hands-free'' operation is required (such as an automobile).
``The small size and portability of PDAs, handheld and mobile devices has made them tremendously popular, and at the same time has provided a huge opportunity
for the speech industry,'' said Gaston Bastiaens, president and CEO of L&H. ``Most users employ handheld and mobile devices on the go, often requiring `hands
free' use. Most also find that manual information input and output is awkward because of the small size of handheld and mobile devices. The most intuitive, logical
solution to this dilemma is a speech-enabled interface that allows users and machines to communicate in a simple, natural, hands-free manner.''
Industry's First Large Vocabulary Speech for Linux PDA
While at the conference, L&H demonstrated its patent-pending, prototype handheld device for Linux platforms equipped with its large vocabulary speech
recognition engine - an industry first -and its L&H RealSpeak text-to-speech (TTS) technology engine. During the presentation L&H demonstrated how users can
employ the device to ``listen'' to e-mail summaries as well as full-text e-mails; issue natural language commands such as ``next message'' or ``send e-mail''; and
dictate e-mails. As part of its live presentation, L&H also demonstrated how its solutions allow a user with a wireless Web connection to make simple web queries
(``What is the Weather in Fresno''; complete an e-commerce transaction, such as purchasing a book from Amazon.com; and conduct a stock trade execution on
Etrade or Charles Schwab .com (``i.e. buy 200 share of Eink'').
``Speech User Interfaces (SUI) make PDA's easier and faster to use,'' said Amy Wohl, president of Wohl Associates. ``They provide an important interface option
for users and will expand the market to more users and applications.''
CyberGenie Uses Speech to Give Small Businesses Virtual Personal Assistant
L&H customer Cygnion Corporation demonstrated its CyberGenie CG 2400, a multi-line, multi-user, expandable PC Cordless Phone System. It uses an
L&H-based speech-enabled interface to help small offices and home offices cost effectively manage their communications from any phone, anywhere in the world.
CyberGenie's Virtual Personal Assistant system employs L&H's multi-lingual automatic speech recognition (ASR) and its TTS technology powered by
CyberGenie@Work software. This enables users to access their contact database via telephone, to receive notification anywhere in the world of voice mail, e-mail
and fax receipts and to have e-mail and faxes read to them in their originating language.
The CG 2400 also uses L&H's ASR and TTS technologies to support its voice activated or DTMF personal assistant, allowing calls placed to the small business to
be answered by the system and prompting the caller to simply speak the name of the person they wish to speak to.
About Lernout & Hauspie
Lernout & Hauspie (L&H) is a global leader in advanced speech and language solutions for vertical markets, computers, automobiles, telecommunications,
embedded products, consumer goods and the Internet. The company is making the speech user interface (SUI) the keystone of simple, convenient interaction
between humans and technology, and is using advanced translation technology to break down language barriers. L&H's products and services originate in four basic
areas: automatic speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), digital speech and music compression (SMC) and text-to-text (translation). For more information,
please visit Lernout & Hauspie on the World Wide Web at www.lhs.com or www.lhsl.com.
This press release contains forward-looking information. Such statements include, without limitation but not limited to statements involving L&H's plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions. There can be no assurance that actual results will not be materially different than those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.
Readers are cautioned that such forward- looking statements involve risk and uncertainties, including, with limitation, the risk that the company or one or more of the
companies licensees will not successfully complete the development of these products on a timely basis, if at all, that the technologies will not perform as anticipated,
and the general risks associated with the intense competition and rapid technological change characteristic of the speech technology market. The forward-looking
statements are also subject to risks set forth in L&H's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained herein
speak only as of the date of this Report. L&H expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to
reflect any change in L&H's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
All product names and trademarks mentioned herein are trademarks of L&H or their respective owners.
Contact:
Lernout & Hauspie
Worldwide PR/IR
Ellen Spooren, (781)-203-5344
espooren@lhsl.com
or
Corporate Comm. US:
Audrey Pobre, (781) 203-5341
apobre@lhsl.com
