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New Speech-Technology Applications Promise to Affect Small-Office Home-Office Market Substantially MENLO PARK, Calif.--July 7, 2003--Traditionally, speech technology has targeted large enterprises or large-volume products such as command-and-control-enabled cell phones. These systems required large user numbers to justify the investment, but speech technology is breaking free from this limitation, offering promising market opportunities for products and services for small and home offices (SOHOs) -- even for individual professionals. In a recent Explorer Viewpoints on speech interfaces, SRI Consulting Business Intelligence (SRIC-BI) identifies the following products and services as new developments that will affect the SOHO market substantially and lead to a wide range of applications for this market: -- Customer credit checking. This speech-enabled software package enables companies such as online businesses and wireless carriers to qualify customers and conduct a risk-assessment analysis. Lightbridge recently announced the introduction of a credit-check module into its credit-risk-assessment solution. -- Interactive voice response (IVR) in a box. This system targets the small to medium businesses market. Vocomo Software Corporation introduced a low-cost turnkey IVR appliance that includes all software and hardware elements necessary to deliver speech-enabled IVR. -- Time and attendance recording. Lavie Timetech announced the introduction of speech-enabled solutions that record the attendance details of mobile or home-office workers. -- Real estate information. NewportWorks has developed an information tool for real estate professionals. The solution enables realtors to speak an address into their cell phones to access available real estate data. Additionally, SRIC-BI identified the following movements that will affect future speech-enabled applications in a wide range of industries: -- From interactive to proactive applications -- From "hard" speech recognition to "soft" speech technology -- From systems gatekeeper to forensic tool -- From well-defined markets to widespread penetration. About SRI Consulting Business Intelligence (www.sric-bi.com) SRI Consulting Business Intelligence (SRIC-BI) is an employee-owned spin-off of the former Stanford Research Institute. SRIC-BI combines content-based research with consulting expertise. Its research identifies the defining forces of change to help clients expand their perspective. SRIC-BI's expertise and unique tools enable clients to focus on strategies for action. Teaming with SRIC-BI increases clients' ability to capture opportunities. About Explorer (http://www.sric-bi.com/Explorer/)