ScanSoft, Inc. (quote) announced that it has closed the acquisition of ART -  Advanced Recognition Technologies.

As businesses and consumers increasingly demand reliable and immediate access to content, data and images, today's mobile devices need to be more accessible and user-friendly for a global population. ART solutions provide state-of-the-art speech recognition technologies that let people use voice-activated controls on their mobile device to set meetings, call people, read emails and retrieve information from enterprise applications.

With the acquisition of ART, ScanSoft expands its portfolio of embedded speech solutions to include a deep set of resources, expertise and relationships with the world's leading mobile device manufacturers and service providers. ART specializes in applications that create voice-based, conversational interfaces that enable users to dial by voice and manage and access their contacts for mobile devices. The handwriting recognition software for smartphones extends the applications and enables Multimodal activation. The combination of ScanSoft and ART also provides an opportunity to help accelerate the convergence of device and server-based speech applications for the world's leading telecommunications carriers and device suppliers.

Today, more than 30 manufacturers worldwide have implemented ART solutions in more than 40 million devices around the world, including cellular phones, smart phones, PDAs, and automotive systems. Its current customer portfolio includes many of the leaders in the wireless and device industries, including Analog Devices, Agere Systems, Hitachi, LG Electronics, Intel, Mitsubishi Electric, Motorola, NEC, Panasonic, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments.