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Speech software to help you navigate the city

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The Hindu 03.08.2009

Speech software to help you navigate the city

M. Dinesh Varma

It is LatticeBridge Infotech’s utility service

 


Launched on Vodafone, it will soon be extended to other operators

Air timings, movies, STD/ISD codes, MTC bus routes are the four services, to start with


CHENNAI: Speech software is now at hand to tell mobile users which MTC buses ply the route they want to take, which movie is playing where or what the ISD code for a city is.

Chennai-based software solutions provider LatticeBridge Infotech has launched a utility voice portal that uses speech identification technology to provide value-added services to mobile users.

Toll line 55305

The service, which has been launched on Vodafone, will soon be extended to other operators as a State-wide utility. The toll line 55305 will be the same for operators across the State.

“We have started with four services and our content team is working on other areas such as agricultural commodity prices,” C.Mohan Ram, managing director, LatticeBridge Infotech told The Hindu.

The voice portal provides information in English, Tamil and Hindi on air timings, movies, STD/ISD codes and MTC bus routes.

Though the MTC data is the only one that is mapped in Chennai, it has relevance for travellers coming into Chennai or for tourists visiting the capital.

“The idea is to provide localised value-added services rather than the usual “ABC” fare of astrology, Bollywood and cricket,” Mr.Ram said.

Voice prompts scores

He says speech technology using voice prompts scores over other user-activated information services such as navigating through a series of push key sequences as it is more straight-forward option for the base of pyramid mobile users.

LatticeBridge, which also runs an SMS-based service for the workforce of an automotive firm in Chennai, has found that almost 60 per cent of the 35,000 text messages that land each month on its server are erroneous.

“Speech-based services can also have value for urbane users on the move who decide on a movie on the spur of the moment,” said Mr.Ram.

Noise filter

With a speech to noise filter ratio of 60:40, the software can work even when the caller is asking for information in a fairly noisy background. Whenever the user’s request is inaudible or unclear, he is asked to repeat the prompt.

Since its launch, the service has been averaging about 2,000 calls a day. Information on movies is the most popular request with peaks on Friday through Sunday followed by Chennai bus routes and airway timings. The average call duration is about 96 seconds.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 August 2009 04:14