NAVIGON GmbH Selects ScanSoft's VoCon 3200 Embedded Development System to Speech-Enable Navigation Systems on PDA Devices
PEABODY, Mass. & GHENT, Belgium--March 25, 2004--| The Latest Release of VoCon(R) 3200 Features Extensive Accuracy Improvements for Noisy Environments, Significant Memory and CPU Savings and New Tools to Accelerate Application Development Time |
ScanSoft, Inc. , the leading supplier of speech and imaging solutions, today announced that NAVIGON GmbH, a leading provider of mobile navigation solutions, has selected VoCon(R) 3200 Embedded Development System 2.0 to speech-enable MobileNavigator 4, the latest release of NAVIGON's award winning navigation software. VoCon 3200 Embedded Development System 2.0 is a complete development suite for adding speech recognition to a variety of automotive, mobile and other embedded or PC-based applications. MobileNavigator software for PDA devices will be available as a modular package system consisting of software and map data for over 21 countries in Europe and commercialized with the PDA brand Medion.
"Integrating speech recognition into MobileNavigator was a logical next step for our product. We will enable users to get comfortable and safe mobility and hands-free access to standard directions such as home, work or airport by entering the destination by voice," said Andreas Westhoff, Head of Products Navigon GmbH. "ScanSoft has delivered a solution of outstanding quality and their engineering team has shown thorough commitment for our project and deadlines."
With more than 100.000 units sold, NAVIGON's MobileNavigator products are recognized for their innovative features and exceptional performance. The new program is available as a Bluetooth variant with or without automatic traffic jam avoidance and provides NAVTECH map data for over 21 European countries. A completely revised user interface equipped with many new features is at the heart of the MobileNavigator 4 and makes the system easier, more intuitive and faster to use. ScanSoft's speech recognition will enable fast and easy access to navigation data and delivers the benefits of hands-free, eyes free interaction.
"We are delighted to be selected by Navigon to speech-enable their popular MobileNavigator. Using voice commands instead of a stylus when retrieving information from a PDA vastly increases convenience, efficiency and safety," said Peter Hauser, senior vice president and general manager for ScanSoft International. "MobileNavigator with speech recognition proves that major accuracy improvements in ASR lead to broader acceptance of speech technology and accelerate the drive for consumer and corporate applications."
Industry-Leading Speech Recognition Software Optimized for Mobile and Automotive Applications
The VoCon 3200 speech recognition engine has been designed to further streamline the interface between people and technology. This latest version features extensive improvements in overall accuracy, significant memory and CPU savings and new tools to accelerate the development of highly accurate and effective speech applications. VoCon 3200 has been tuned to provide superior functionality, accuracy and performance for mobile and automotive applications, including Voice Activated Dialing (VAD) and Voice Destination Entry (VDE).
VoCon 3200 Embedded Development System 2.0 includes libraries for WinCE v4.2 / PocketPC 2003 to allow an easy integration into PDA-based applications and comes with an extensive API description, sample program code and demo applications.
Navigon's MobileNavigator makes use of an optimized speaker-dependent recognition algorithm implemented in VoCon 3200 2.0. Users are now able to add a speaker dependent-voice tag to a destination. VoCon 3200 fully supports training the voice tags in a quiet environment or in a stopped car and entering a voice destination in a noisy environment, i.e., while driving. Rather than pure pattern recognition VoCon 3200 uses the existing noise-robust acoustic models even for the speaker-dependent user words and makes use of ScanSoft's huge automotive speech databases recorded in car environments covering a wide range of different car models and driving conditions.
About Navigon
The navigation specialist has been operating for over ten years in this market - not only as supplier to car manufacturers, but also as manufacturer of mobile and automotive navigation solutions for end customers. The distinguishing features of the NAVIGON software architecture are its modularity and portability to a wide range of hardware and operating systems. These properties allow users of NAVIGON to find their way using their mobile, personal digital assistant, notebook or on-board computer. CIS GmbH, NAVIGON's precursor company, was founded in 1991. Today NAVIGON operates as an independent company with headquarters in Hamburg and Wurzburg in Germany.
For press photographs please go to: www.navigon.de/ Media Informationen (Media Information) User name: navigon; password: @media
About ScanSoft(R) Embedded Speech Solutions (ESS)
ScanSoft's Embedded Speech Solutions (ESS) is a leading provider of speech technologies and applications used within automobiles, handsets, consumer devices, talking dictionaries, assistive technology, and electronic games. ESS solutions provide an easy-to-use interface for communicating with devices that relieves common frustrations and hazards, or creates a compelling new form of interaction. ESS supplies its leading speech technologies and applications to companies worldwide, including Citroen, Clarion, Delphi, Ford, General Motors, Motorola, Nokia, Pioneer, Sony and Visteon. For more information, visit http://www.scansoft.com/embedded/.
About ScanSoft, Inc.
ScanSoft, Inc. is the leading supplier of speech and imaging 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 http://www.scansoft.com/.
Trademark reference: ScanSoft, VoCon, and the ScanSoft logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other company or product names may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
The statements in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with market trends, competitive factors, and other risks identified in ScanSoft's SEC filings. Actual results, events or performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.