1. VoiceXML An investigation Author: Mya Anderson
Supervisor: Prof. P Clayton

2. Introduction VoiceXML recap The problem area My approach
Some things I did…
Findings,opinions and views
Conclusion and questions

3. VoiceXML recap

4. VoiceXML = Voice Extensible Markup Language
XML-based
Internet mark-up language 4 developing voice interfaces
First version released 1999
Latest version released April 2002

5. Allows access to Web via telephones Works in Voice Browser
Provides standards-based interface for:
Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)
Text-to-Speech (TTS)
Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF)
Call handling
Other technologies

6. The Problem Area

7. VoiceXML is a new technology Many promised benefits & advantages
Relatively little information available.
Task
Find out more
Try establish whether it had any value

8. My approach

9. Step 1
Lots of reading!
Web sites
Text books
Software manuals

10. Step 2 Try write a simple VoiceXML application Involved
Deciding on a development environment
Picking a voice browser to interpret my VoiceXML pages
Getting to grips with syntax
Finding examples

11. Step 3 Try write a prototype for Rhodes Online Student Services (ROSS)
Help determine
Ease of development
Speed of development
VoiceXML capabilities

12. Development environments
Four potential environments:
Hosted
Web-based
Simulated
“Real”

13. Hosted Use Voice Service Provider Telephone access
No need to worry about hardware issues
Tools sometimes provided

14. Web-based “Integrated Development Environment” Many tools offered
Provides most current support
Best option, if available
Best way to start
Not available in SA

15. Simulated Stand-alone browser runs on PC
Use headset or speaker and microphone
Good for initial development
Available browsers bit behind current standards
Can’t test “real” input i.e. phone

16. “Real” Set up on gateway Expensive
Requires hardware and telephony expertise

17. Selected environment Stand-alone Cheapest Browsers freely available
No SA-based Voice Service Providers for a web-based environment (preferable)
No need to set up gateway

18. Some things I did…

19. Started ROSS prototype
Input & output student number
Terminated by software issues
Experimented with mixed-initiative dialogs
Traditional IVR (e.g. cell-phones) = directed dialog
Mixed-initiative dialogs “intelligent”

20. Used inline & external grammars Wrote JGSF grammar
JGSF (Java Speech Grammar Format)
GSL (Grammar Specification Language)
SRGF (Speech Recognition Grammar Format)
Did some basic scripting

21. Findings, Opinions and Views

22. Speech recognition is still VERY sensitive to background noise and loudness of speech
VoiceXML (as a language) is relatively easy to use
VoiceXML integrates very well into existing web infrastructures
Standalone browsers are behind in what they are able to support

23. Very little technical assistance is available
Standalone browsers are still quite “buggy”
Documentation is limited
Voice technologies (TTS, ASR) still not good enough
Audio files
VoiceXML applications are being used commercially in the USA & Europe

24. VoiceXML offers major advantages and cost savings for developing IVRs
Smaller developer learning curve
Able to generate pages dynamically
Uses much of the web infrastructure already in place for normal web pages

25. HCI issues are VERY important when developing voice applications
Badly designed VUI will simply NOT be used.

26. Other Issues Possible threats Poor voice technologies
SALT (Speech Application Language Tags)
New language combining voice & data technologies

27. Standards still not established/comprehensive enough
Some issues still left to the developers’ discretion
Certain companies implement proprietary solutions to problems resulting in platform and/or browser dependence

28. Conclusion

29. VoiceXML has much potential
Highly dependent on underlying technologies
Standardisation still in progress
Reduces portability
Inc risk (e.g. grammars, rewriting)

30. Already better than existing IVR development technologies
Flexible
Easier to learn
Easier to write & modify
Many potential future benefits
Here to stay?
Too early to tell
Highly dependent on external “ifs”

31. THANK YOU!
Any Questions???