Spanlink Awarded Natural Language Information Retrieval Patent
Spanlink Communications, a provider of customer interaction solutions that leverage VoIP technology, recently announced that the U.S. Patent Office has awarded the company a patent in the field of natural language information retrieval. The patent, 'System, Method and Article of Manufacture for Concept Based Information Searching,' uses a methodology that retrieves relevant information from unstructured data sources through natural language understanding techniques, helping users access desired information more easily, quickly and with greater precision. Spanlink has applied this technology to its Intelligent Information Products for self-service, which turn structured and unstructured data into a knowledge base that businesses can leverage to increase the speed, ease and accuracy of customer interactions. In the next six months, Spanlink will announce enhancements to its Web self-service products and new applications that leverage the same patented technology for speech applications. www.spanlink.com

Avaya Debuts Speech Self-Service Products
Business communications applications, systems and services provider Avaya Inc. has announced the next generation of its IP-based speech self-service solutions. The new Avaya Voice Portal software platform integrates within a service-oriented architecture, designed to provide a quicker and easier way to speech-enable Web services across highly distributed enterprises. Avaya also introduced a new speech application development tool, Avaya Dialog Designer, which enables designers to speed development of speech self-service applications. Created for integration with Web services or in traditional environments, Avaya Dialog Designer supports both Avaya Voice Portal and Avaya Interactive Response. www.avaya.com

Empirix, Audium Partner On VXML IVR Applications
Empirix, a provider of testing and monitoring solutions for next-generation networks, contact centers and Web-based applications, and packaged VoiceXML application software provider Audium have both announced a partnership designed to help enterprises develop and deploy more reliable VXML IVR applications. The companies are launching integrated testing and management solutions for VXML platforms and applications. The initial deliverable of this partnership is a solution designed to ensure the quality of Cisco Customer Voice Portal applications, called Hammer Service Assurance for Cisco CVP. Similar testing and management solutions for other leading VXML platform vendors will follow.
www.audiumcorp.com
www.empirix.com

Definition Du Jour
AVST (Audio Visual Speech Technologies)
A technology that allows computers to 'see' a speaker and read his or her lips, allowing the computer further confidence in speech recognition when trying to discern the difference between similar-sounding words (for example, 'bear' and 'pear').

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