Korea : Talking Software
Interaction between human and the
machine is no longer confined to the realm of fantasy such as in the tale of Snow White,
where the infamous mirror seems to have a mind of its own and gives all the right answers
to the evil queen.
Voice technology has developed so much in
recent years that it will not be long before all major interactions between machines and
humans can be conducted simply through speech, says Baek Jong-kwan, president of Voiceware
Co. Ltd, Kkorea's foremost speech technology company.
"The speech technology market has
endless potential to penetrate into the core of our lives, being applied to various fields
ranging from vacuum cleaners to stock exchange market information services", Baek
said in an interview with the Korea Herald.
Voiceware now is attempting to join global
leaders.
The company already ominates 60% of the
domestic text-to-speech software market and 30% of the speech recognition market,
according to the company's records.
Voiceware recently set up a branch office
under a new name, "Neospeech", in the United States and is seeking potential
American experts to join the team. Although it is still a small-sized company with a total
96 employees including 29 researchers, Voiceware is aiming to represent Korea's
world-class standard of voice technology software including text-to-speech, speech
recognition and voice authentication on the global market.
Being one of the leader in voice interface
software development in Korea and the only company specializing in speech technology to be
designated as a national research laboratory by the government, Voiceware seems to have
all the right reasons to be so motivated.
The company, established in 1999 by Baek, a
former researcher at LG's research center, has become Korea's first speech technology
company to open market for commercial products that use ultra-modern engines to enable
machines using databases to recognize human voices, and respond accordingly.
The firm has seen constant expansion in
growth rates of over 100%, recording sales of 2.8 billion won in the first year of
operation, followed by sales of 5.6 billion won last year.
Voiceware expects the figure to reach 10.2
billion won this year from its 3 billion won in capital.
Speech technology is yet to become one of
the major markets in the information technology sector, ammounting to just 20 billion won
last year and 30 billion won this year, according to Baek.
"Developments in voice technology in
Western countries began in the 1970s, whereas Korea did not begin until the mid-80s, Baek
said.
It therefore says a lot that a Korean
company can provide software that is highly competitive in the global market, he added.
Automatic Speech Recognition News, an
international monthly newsletter that tracks the latest developments in the speech
recognition and text-to-speech marketplace, highly praised Voiceware in last Ocrober's
issue, saying that Voiceware's English text-to-speech appears to be one of most natural
sounding TTS products available. It said that the technology the firm provides is highly
competitive against such companies as AR&T, Fonix, L&H, Rhetorical Systems, and
Speech Works.
Voiceware developed its own english version
of speech recognition and text to speech engines last September, and plans to develop
Chinese and Japanese version within the year.
The company has currently about 150
businesses using its text-to-speech software products, and about 70 businesses using voice
recognition products.
VoiceEz, one of the Voiceware's voice
recognition products, has been applied as a flight schedule search engine by Asiana
Airlines, a stock information service by various securities including Kyobo, Good Morning
and SK, as well as by telecommunication businesses.
VoiceText which changes letters into words,
has been installed in the office XP version of Microsft, and reads out to viewers the
content on Web sites such as westeher forecast, emails, and news. Dong-a-Ilbo, Mae-il
Economic newspaper, Durunet, SK telecom is among the business partners using VoiceText.
The company also sells a speaker
certification engine named VoiceCop, which is used at gates and entrances to buildings for
security purposes, as well in computer hardware to block unregistered individuals.
Although the company possesses high class technology and many commercial products,
Voiceware is also aware of the difficulties it will face when advancing into the global
market.
"We will fall behind international
enterprises on marketing and operation, due to lack of network, not to mention our weak
brand-power", Baek said.
It will also take considerable time for us
to provide services on the level of other international companies, he said.
The company plans to concentrate on winning
partnerships with other renowned voice technology companies during the first stage of its
operation overseas, Baek said.
Text courtesy: Korea Now, April 6, 2002
issue. Embassy of Korea in Kathmandu.
Practice and Dialogue
How do these involved in the cultural
dialogue view their tasks? Six answers Dialogue-A Strategic Necessity
-Amr Moussa, Secy-Gen, Arab
League/Cairo/Egypt
During the past few years, we have come to
realize that while there has been an incredible and positive change of attitude among
individuals and entire nations, we have also witnessed a bizarre spiral of tragedies
linked to the fear of diversity and to the perception that diversity is a threat. This
fear has taken on a number of ugly names and forms such as ethnic cleansing, claims of
cultural superiority and clash of civilizations. It is paradoxical and sad to note that
although live in what is called the information age, widespread ignorance about religions
and cultures and rarity of genuine communication between them prevails. Today, at the
crossroads of history we have to make a choice: either seek to build solid bridges of
understanding or fall into the abyss of never ending conflict, with tragic consequences
for mankind. Those who think that a clash of civilizations will ultimately result in one
side emerging victorious over the other need to think again. This call for a dialogue
between civilizations is not new. The call for it today, however, is a most urgent one. In
the past, many have regarded such an appeal almost as a luxury-an extra item on the agenda
of international relations. Today, we are paying the price for inadequately dealing with
the issue. The dialogue should be given prominence and placed at the top of the global
agenda, not as a mere cultural theory but rather as an imminent strategic necessity.
Moreover, this dialogue need to be confined to official or academic levels, it should be
pursued at the grassroots and NGO levels. To address this issue we must operate around
certain parameters. The prerequisite of any serious dialogue is the respect of pluralism
and diversity. All civilizations and people should be proud of their achievements and
contributions to the world. Yet one must evaluate its shortcomings. As we pursue this
dialogue, we should adopt a "window" rather than a "mirror"
perspective. A window often opens a completely new world, while a mirror often confines
one's horizons and reinforces one's parochialism. We should benefit from the many windows
afforded by the information technology revolution in order to communicate better with each
other, rather than demonize one another. We should send a message of resolve and hope for
a new world order based on justice, equality, security and law. The call for dialogue
should acquire new momentum emanating from a genuine belief in the diverse achievements of
mankind, cultural pluralism and creative human diversity.
Pluralism and Politics
-Smaranda Enache, Cvivil Rights'
activist, Romania
The dialogue of cultures has always been an
engine of progress in Europe. However, intercultural values are still seen as a field for
academic reflection rather than a tool for building a harmonious pluralist society. A
fruitful cultural exchange could be an important ingredient of Europe's unification
provided it does not remain an elitist project. It has a unique role to play: that of
helping us to overcome historical prejudice and cultural division. Public policies which
enhance intercultural dialogue are needed, especially in the newly democratic states where
pluralism is not yet a natural part of the decision-making process. Disdain for the human
dignity of "others" has recently led to atrocities and immense suffering in our
immediate vicinity. It is my strong belief that placing the intercultural dialogue at the
center of European integration is a guarantee for preventing conflict and an effective way
of increasing confidence.
Neutral Platform
-Dr. Rudiger Pintar, FES Regional
Office Croatia
In countries in South-East Europe the
cultural dialogue refers first and foremost to communication between different ethnic
population groups and the need to dispel distrust and dispense with stereotypes towards
the "others", especially in areas like former Yugoslavia where people are still
scared by war atrocities. Fostering acceptance and trust in an atmosphere of peaceful
coexistence is a lengthy process, a fact that is some times overlooked. All too often
those involved have the impression that dialogues are initiated from outside sources, just
for the sake of it. It makes more sense to begin a dialogue in order to tackle mutual
issues, thereby reducing potential ethnically based conflict. In such cases a neutral
platform and neutral mediator are frequently important elements and in this capacity
political associations have proved very valuable over many years.
New Perspective
Ljubjana Wustehube, Head of Immedio,
Berlin
The word culture is often abused in
conflict situations. Mediation and a constructive attitude help deal with conflict among
neighbor as well as the effects on the economy and at international level. As conflict
escalates there is less chance for communication, making it more difficult for parties
involved to win sympathy or even change their outlook on things, yet this is essential in
order to reach a solution. At first, communication takes place solely through mediators or
interpreters whereas in the course of dialogue the parties involved recount their own
experiences and discover common ground, notwithstanding certain differences. In conflict
situations sympathizing with each party's suffering and identifying with their needs and
interests is of primary importance when we act as mediators because such feelings
"rub-off" on the opposite parties. This enables people to progress from the
question of past guilt to future responsibility which leads in turn to long-forgotten ways
of developing new prospects for the future, something which can't be taken for granted.
Understanding Difference
Soheib Bencheikh, Grand Mufti,
Marseille, France
Dialogue is indispensable as a means of
exploiting the similarities between Christians and Muslims in order to bring them closer
together: not for conversion purposes-the differences between us must be more readily
understood, they should not be obscured-but in order to define a mutually consoderate way
of living together. Yet we stir up mistrust and fear although already today we are
obliged, and will always be, to share the same cities, villages and regions with one
another-indeed to share the same planet because the earth is becoming more and more like a
global village. No culture today can be called "exotic" or remote and even
wildly disparate ideas become increasingly similar each day goes by.
Finding Answers
Dr. Matthes Buhbe, Head of FES, Israel
A deep divide currently separates the
Jewish western from the Arab eastern part of the city. Yet it is silly to see cultural
intolerance as the reasons for political failure. People of many different backgrounds
have the potential to prevent the political dialogue failing, they are also capable of
finding answers for Jerusalem-by activating a dialogue of cultures.
Text courtesy: Deutschland E4 N2/2002
April/May. Embassy of Germany in Kathmandu. |
