Google develops voice technology search
25 March 2004
Google is currently developing Speech Search a service that gives users who are not at a computer the ability to search for specific information.
Speech Search, available in pre-beta stages via Google Labs, is an attempt to give users the ability to search Google through a voice interface.
Craig Silverstein, director of technology at Google, in an interview with ZDNetUK, said he believes that within a few years Google could have a voice interface for everything from driving directions to help users finding the aisle for a particular food in your local supermarket.
He explained: "That's something you would never think to ask a search engine. You're not likely to be using your laptop in a supermarket, but in the future I think search will be far more accessible -- you won't be tied to your desktop, you will be able to do it from your mobile phone or PDA."
The biggest hurdle, Mr Silverstein said, is not the voice recognition technology, but rather the delivery of the search results.
"The problem is, how do you get the answers back?" he said. "Do you have someone reading them off to you like one of those voicemail mazes where it takes so long to speak to someone? A big list works visually, but doesn't work very well in audio."
At present, Google's Voice Search can receive keywords by phone, but it displays the results in a browser window.
Google believes as computer technology improves the rate in which it receives information, the ability to deliver these vocal results will also improve.
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