Volkswagen Automates Inspections with ScanSoft Dragon NaturallySpeaking

    PEABODY, Mass. & GENT, Belgium--Nov. 19, 2002--ScanSoft Inc.:

    Integrator ASKA Replaces Cumbersome Form Procedure with an Automated Speech-Based Solution that Collects and
    Processes Inspections Using Wireless Headsets

    ScanSoft Inc. , a leading supplier of imaging, speech and language solutions, today announced that Volkswagen AG has implemented ScanSoft(R) Dragon NaturallySpeaking(R) to automate the vehicle inspection process at their manufacturing plant in Wolfsburg, Germany.
    The speech-enabled solution was implemented by ASKA Corporation, a ScanSoft partner and German solution integrator that specializes in speech recognition and productivity solutions.
    Historically, Volkswagen quality assurance inspectors of prototype vehicles have recorded inspection information using an extensive form process, with the resulting data manually transferred into the online quality control and reporting system. This approach was cumbersome and exposed the inspection process to the possibility of lost reports and data transfer errors. Further, the manual data entry process added expense and slowed the creation of reports and data analysis.
    The new automated inspection process eliminates the form, using the highly accurate speech recognition capabilities of Dragon NaturallySpeaking to automate the collection and processing of inspection data. Quality assurance inspectors, outfitted with wireless headsets for ultimate mobility, use their voices to control a Microsoft Access database application and to enter the data needed for each inspection. A list of possible entries related to the fields for each inspection steps is displayed on a screen in front of them. By using speech, the inspectors can process data directly into the system and help Volkswagen eliminate the costs associated with manual data entry, speed access to information and improve the quality of the collected data.
    "Volkswagen is recognized as a leader in building quality cars, and we have earned that reputation through tough and precise quality processes," stated Jorg Lukritz, Project Manager for Quality Assurance for Volkswagen. "As a result, our selection of a speech recognition solution placed an emphasis on precise accuracy - a quality challenge that has been met by Dragon NaturallySpeaking."
    "We are excited about the value that ASKA has created by implementing this solution at Volkswagen," said Peter Hauser, Senior Vice President and General Manager for ScanSoft International "This is a good example of how ScanSoft solutions can increase productivity and, at the same time, improve the quality of work, at companies such as Volkswagen."

    About ASKA Corporation

    ASKA Corporation, based in Sindelfingen, Germany, has specialized in implementing speech automation solutions for professional and industrial applications since 1993. ASKA has demonstrated an ability move organizations from cumbersome manual approaches to mobile and speech-enabled solutions. As a ScanSoft Certified Partner, and expert in delivering integrated solutions using Dragon NaturallySpeaking, ASKA offers a compressive ability to speech-enable nearly any commercial and in-house application, offering specific expertise to medical, judicial and industrial markets.

    About ScanSoft Inc.

    ScanSoft Inc. is a leading supplier of imaging, speech and language solutions that are used to automate a wide range of manual processes - saving time, increasing worker productivity and improving customer service. For more information regarding ScanSoft products and technologies, please visit www.scansoft.com.
    Trademark reference: ScanSoft and Dragon NaturallySpeaking are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other company names or product names referenced herein may be the trademarks of their respective holders.

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