Wednesday March 13, 12:02 pm Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Fonix Corporation
Microsoft Selects Fonix to Provide Speech Recognition For the Xbox Video Game System from Microsoft
Fonix Speech Recognition Technology will be Supplied to All Xbox Game Developers Via Xbox Software Development Kit; Fonix Text-To-Speech Available Via Upgrade
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2002-- Fonix® Corporation (OTC BB: FONX), the leading provider of natural-user interface technology and voice solutions for wireless and mobile devices, announced today it has signed a licensing agreement with Microsoft® (Nasdaq NM: MSFT - news) to provide the Fonix proprietary Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) engine for the immensely popular Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft.
Beginning in the second half of 2002, the highly-accurate Fonix U.S. English ASR for game developers will begin shipping to all Xbox game developers via the official Xbox Development Kit (XDK), Microsoft's primary game authoring tool. During the remainder of 2002, Fonix will provide ASR for Xbox in the following languages: U.K. English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. The Fonix-enabled XDK will allow developers to create games that recognize the user's voice, permitting the user to direct on-screen action, input information, and otherwise interact verbally with the game environment.
``With the powerful technology behind Xbox, artists are able to attain their creative goals and realize their creative visions,'' said J Allard, General Manager, Xbox Platform, Microsoft. ``Fonix voice recognition will play a significant role in future Xbox game development, making the games more interactive and user friendly.''
``This announcement further demonstrates the expanding commercialization of Fonix ASR,'' said Kurt Flygare, vice president of sales for Fonix. ``Xbox is clearly one of the most prominent and influential entertainment technology platforms in the world today. Potentially, millions of users will have the opportunity to experience the power of Fonix as a result of this agreement.
``By becoming the speech recognition provider for Xbox, Fonix has once again proven it is on the cutting edge of natural-user interface technology,'' Flygare noted.
Fonix ASR powerfully discerns speech in multiple languages at normal speeds and intonations. The solution is speaker-independent and does not require training to the user's voice. It also accommodates finite-state grammar, which allows for complex speech input, and can detect speech in high background-noise environments. Among the key benefits of Fonix ASR technology for Xbox developers is a remarkably small footprint command-and-control engine that drives all onboard speech recognition functions. Fonix is also offering game developers two additional upgrades to the Microsoft XDK components: natural-sounding Text-To-Speech (TTS) technology, which enables game characters to read on-the-fly text in a variety of languages and dialects, and Fonix Professional Services to provide help with speech integration and support. These upgrades are available to game developers immediately.
Entry of voice commands into the Xbox video game system will take place via a microphone/headphone combo set such as the Xbox Communicator, which is unique among video game consoles in that it plugs right into a slot on the controller, and will be available as an optional peripheral for Xbox.
Press Release
SOURCE: Fonix Corporation
Microsoft Selects Fonix to Provide Speech Recognition For the Xbox Video Game System from Microsoft
Fonix Speech Recognition Technology will be Supplied to All Xbox Game Developers Via Xbox Software Development Kit; Fonix Text-To-Speech Available Via Upgrade
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2002-- Fonix® Corporation (OTC BB: FONX), the leading provider of natural-user interface technology and voice solutions for wireless and mobile devices, announced today it has signed a licensing agreement with Microsoft® (Nasdaq NM: MSFT - news) to provide the Fonix proprietary Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) engine for the immensely popular Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft.
Beginning in the second half of 2002, the highly-accurate Fonix U.S. English ASR for game developers will begin shipping to all Xbox game developers via the official Xbox Development Kit (XDK), Microsoft's primary game authoring tool. During the remainder of 2002, Fonix will provide ASR for Xbox in the following languages: U.K. English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. The Fonix-enabled XDK will allow developers to create games that recognize the user's voice, permitting the user to direct on-screen action, input information, and otherwise interact verbally with the game environment.
``With the powerful technology behind Xbox, artists are able to attain their creative goals and realize their creative visions,'' said J Allard, General Manager, Xbox Platform, Microsoft. ``Fonix voice recognition will play a significant role in future Xbox game development, making the games more interactive and user friendly.''
``This announcement further demonstrates the expanding commercialization of Fonix ASR,'' said Kurt Flygare, vice president of sales for Fonix. ``Xbox is clearly one of the most prominent and influential entertainment technology platforms in the world today. Potentially, millions of users will have the opportunity to experience the power of Fonix as a result of this agreement.
``By becoming the speech recognition provider for Xbox, Fonix has once again proven it is on the cutting edge of natural-user interface technology,'' Flygare noted.
Fonix ASR powerfully discerns speech in multiple languages at normal speeds and intonations. The solution is speaker-independent and does not require training to the user's voice. It also accommodates finite-state grammar, which allows for complex speech input, and can detect speech in high background-noise environments. Among the key benefits of Fonix ASR technology for Xbox developers is a remarkably small footprint command-and-control engine that drives all onboard speech recognition functions. Fonix is also offering game developers two additional upgrades to the Microsoft XDK components: natural-sounding Text-To-Speech (TTS) technology, which enables game characters to read on-the-fly text in a variety of languages and dialects, and Fonix Professional Services to provide help with speech integration and support. These upgrades are available to game developers immediately.
Entry of voice commands into the Xbox video game system will take place via a microphone/headphone combo set such as the Xbox Communicator, which is unique among video game consoles in that it plugs right into a slot on the controller, and will be available as an optional peripheral for Xbox.
