Len Klie — October 13, 2010 @ 11:10 am
A few days after President Barack Obama signed into law the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, paving the way for speech technologies to permeate the assistive technologies market for those with vision or hearing loss, the federal government also dealt a blow to speech technologies of another kind.
The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, designed to make the Internet, smartphones, television programs, and other modern communications technologies accessible to people with vision or hearing loss, requires closed captioning of television programs and online videos. That would require companies to provide, either via speech-to-text technologies or human transcriptionists, a visual representation of all audio content within videos. It also open up the world of speech search, speech analytics, and related technologies to a much wider market.
The law also requires broadcasters to provide—most likely via text-to-speech technologies—audible descriptions of on-screen action, as well as audible program guides, selection menus, and emergency broadcast information for the blind. Mobile phone companies will also be required to make Web browsers, text messaging, and email on smartphones fully accessible.
That law passed on Friday, Oct. 8. But then on Monday, Oct. 11, news leaked out that the federal government was considering a nationwide ban on all cell phone use—including with hands-fee devices—while driving. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood reportedly told Bloomberg News that his agency was conducting research on the use of Bluetooth-enabled hands free phones and in-car infotainment systems like the Ford SYNC, Kia UVO, and Chevy’s OnStar. Many of these systems use speech technologies to provide drivers with traffic information, driving directions, news, sports scores, movie showtimes, and stock quotes, and also read aloud incoming email and text messages. Users can use their voices to compose and send messages, make phone calls, make music selections, or regulate the car’s climate.
Sounds to me that if LaHood has his way, the huge market potential for speech in the car will go the way of the Edsel and more recently, the Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn, Mercury, and Hummer brands.
Monday, 18 October 2010
Speech Technology Magazine Blog
