BGU researchers develop voice-activated web search

Maestro integrates data recovery with speech recognition technology to execute Internet searches.

30 May 05 14:51, Gadi Golan

A research team at Ben Gurion University of the Negev is developing a voice-activated Internet search interface.

Maestro integrates data recovery with speech recognition technology to execute Internet searches using a microphone and loudspeaker.

The project is intended to be part of a larger experiment about traffic accidents, headed by Dr. Meirav Taieb-Maimon.

Maestro, which was developed to Taieb-Maimon's specifications, in consultation with Dr. Bracha Shapira, is an application installed on an ordinary personal computer that enables spoken queries to taken as free-text dictation.

After the search has been executed, the results may be heard either as a list of websites, or by subject. Using voice commands, the user can navigate to the desired site, and listen to its content.

The project integrates various software components, including Microsoft's speech recognition module.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on Monday, May 30, 2005