Intel and Microsoft Collaborate on Development of Speech-Enabled Web Solutions

ORLANDO, FL - Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. announced that the two companies are developing enabling technologies and a reference design for the deployment of speech-enabled Web solutions in the enterprise based on the Speech Applications Language Tags (SALT) specification. The scope of the technical collaboration and reference design will include the Microsoft .NET Speech platform along with standards-based Intel communications building blocks which include Intel Architecture servers, Intel NetStructure communications boards and Intel telephony call management interface software. SALT-based speech-enabled Web solutions from this collaborative effort will enable enterprise customers to build and deploy speech applications, and will offer channel customers, such as independent software vendors (ISVs), original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), value-added resellers (VARs) and systems integrators (SIs), a foundation to construct telephony and multimodal speech application systems for their enterprise customers. "By using the Microsoft .NET speech platform running with Intel® Architecture servers and Intel® NetStructure communication boards, we will broaden the reach of speech-enabled applications so that customers have immediate and easy access to speech-enabling technology that can be used to reduce cost, enhance revenues and improve business agility," said Howard Bubb, vice president at Intel and general manager of the Network Processing Group. "The use of standards-based Intel and Microsoft technologies in the reference design brings the element of modularity to the solution, and provides higher performance, lower development costs and quicker time to market for resulting products." "Microsoft and Intel have a common desire to make development and implementation of speech systems faster, easier and more economical for enterprise customers," said Kai-Fu Lee, vice president of the Natural Interactive Services Division at Microsoft. "The combined expertise and experience of Microsoft and Intel in the development of speech hardware and software will help companies take advantage of leading-edge speech technologies to provide rich, value-added services and an enhanced customer experience simply by extending their existing Web-based infrastructure and business applications." The parties will develop and test their respective technology components and the reference design so that they can be used by developers to build speech-enabled Web applications for the enterprise market segment. Together, Microsoft and Intel will also engage in joint sales and marketing activities focused toward their respective enterprise and channel customers, distributors, technology partners, ISVs and the Web developer community. Speech Application Language Tags (SALT) Specification