Clarity Technologies Helps Provide World Class Speech Recognition Accuracy

Clarity Technologies CVC(R) award winning voice extraction technology for speech recognition software combines with IBM Embedded ViaVoice to deliver superior speech recognition accuracy

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 18 -- Clarity Technologies Inc. (http://www.claritycvc.com/ ), a leading independent provider with the technology, expertise, focus and services to deliver a superior solution for improving the audio quality and performance of voice-based communications, announced today that its CVC (Clear Voice Capture) noise suppression technology for automatic speech recognition software can now interoperate, and can be sold with, IBM(R) Embedded ViaVoice(R).

In a move to satisfy the industry's most demanding customers who want the best Automatic Speech Recognition accuracy possible, particularly in high noise environments, IBM will offer Clarity's CVC(R) software with IBM Embedded ViaVoice speech recognition solutions. IBM customers can now purchase IBM Embedded ViaVoice and Clarity CVC(R) Noise Suppression software together.

Clarity Technologies has continued expansion and enhancement in the state of hands-free voice communications and is recognized as a global leader delivering solutions that can enhance audio quality and performance in voice- based communications systems. Clarity has the technology, expertise and exclusive focus to address the voice quality and performance degradation issues that result from today's increasingly complex communications environments and has demonstrated the ability to improve word error rates by as much as 78 percent for most of the current ASR engines available today.*

For far-field communications -- that is, when users must speak to a microphone from a distance, CVC(R) software voice extraction technology solves audio performance degradation in applications, thereby improving speech recognition accuracy. Clarity's CVC(R) technology thus can become a perfect audio front-end helping to differentiate IBM Embedded ViaVoice speech recognition solutions for hands-free automotive and other wireless applications including Bluetooth.

Clarity Technologies' award-winning CVC(R) technology has been selected by 6 top automotive nameplates in the world for their hands-free phone products and is in production or available in products across major telecom markets.

"Over the last year, IBM and Clarity have been hearing from customers that the integration of our two companies' products would provide an ideal solution for their hands-free product requirements," said Raymond Gunn, Clarity Technologies president and CEO. "We are delighted that IBM selected Clarity -- and we're confident our customers will all be delighted with the result."

About Clarity Technologies and ClarityLabs

Established in 1998, Clarity Technologies Inc. develops and delivers software and services that improve the audio quality and performance of voice- based communication products and systems. Using its expertise and voice extraction technology, Clarity solves voice quality and performance degradation issues for today's complex audio environment, regardless of hardware, audio interface, operating system or speech recognition applications.

Clarity has 20 technology patents either awarded or pending, more than 300 years of technical and commercial experience in the digital signal processing field of audio voice communications, and has been recognized by industry influencers like Speech Technology Magazine, IEEE Spectrum, Telematics Update and the AVIOS Board at the Speech Developers Conference as delivering superior voice enhancement technology. Additionally, Clarity is the only associate member of the Bluetooth SIG that provides noise and echo cancellation technology.

ClarityLabs is a services division of Clarity Technologies Inc. and provides its customers with the ability to evaluate, select and integrate speech recognition technology for voice-based applications in addition to providing embedded services and developing an independent and objective voice quality certification process.

For more information, please contact Tom Houy, vp marketing (tomh@ClarityCVC.com ) or 248-409-1400.

All trade and service marks are the property of their respective owners. CVC is a registered trademark of Clarity Technologies Inc. in the United States, other countries or both. IBM and ViaVoice are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries or both. Other company, product or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.

*The results obtained in other operating environments may vary significantly. Actual results may vary.