ISR - September 1998 - Mobile Speech Recognition

September 1998, Vol. 15, No. 9

Intelligent, wearable computers for the warehouse

Going mobile...with speech recognition

Based on a number of recent announcements, it looks like the next major application area for speech recognition will be mobile "wearable" computers. Two companies in particular Inroad (Seattle, Wash.; www.inroad.com) and Xybernaut (Fairfax, Va.; www.xybernaut.com) are rushing to market voice-controlled, wireless systems based on commercial speech recognition technology.

Inroad's Inquire is a "wearable thin client" computing system that uses speech recognition to interact with business applications in warehouse environments. Weighing 22 ounces, Inquire can comfortably be worn for a full shift without impeding movement. On a flexible belt, users wear a lightweight, powerful CPU with a rechargeable lithium ion battery pack and a hand-operated remote control unit. A headset with a noise-attenuating earphone and a microphone allows the user to communicate with speech-activated system and application software.

Built-in interfaces attach bar code scanners and other peripherals at the discretion of the user. Local servers host the application software, accessible via a wireless network, providing the connection point between the wearable thin clients and enterprise system software.

Inquire uses SpeechNet technology from SyVox (Boulder, Colo.; www.syvox.com) (formerly Speech Systems), a supplier of speech recognition technology for warehouse and distribution environments, to interface with network servers and application software. SyVox's Pick2Voice (P2V) software is a voice-guided "picking" application that provides the speed of "pick to light" without a requirement for hard automation.

P2V was designed and tuned to run on Inquire wearable thin client systems in the distribution centers of major corporations. The combined solution offers hands-free operation and allows workers to communicate with a host computer without using their hands or eyes to perform tasks.

Despite its small size, Inquire is built ruggedly to survive the hostile conditions that exist in many distribution centers. The units are designed to withstand multiple job site punishments including heat, cold, moisture and impact.

Unlike PC-type devices, Inquire's intelligence resides on the server with no proprietary information stored directly on the units. This ensures secure operation and does not put important business information at risk, should any of the units be taken out of the wireless network environment. System administration is centralized at the server, simplifying software upgrades and normal maintenance operations, and ensuring that all mobile devices in a workplace are interacting with the current and correct version of the applications.

Inquire is based on new distributed computing architectures which make it possible to access and navigate centralized and distributed business data via lightweight, portable end-user devices. The systems are mobile within a local work environment, connected to corporate databases and applications via wireless LANs.

SyVox's SpeechNet technology is a client/server framework that provides the wireless, speech-centric connection between mobile workers with wearable computers and the picking application running on a shared server. The key features of SpeechNet include continuous speech and speaker independence, which ensure a natural language interface that requires no voice training. SpeechNet's interface also provides a high level of accuracy in loud, variable noise environments.

SpeechNet is a multi-user system with centralized administration. It is tailored to deploy P2V on any 2.4 GHz spread-spectrum radio network along with wearable client computers.

P2V executes on a SpeechNet server and interfaces with a warehouse management system (WMS) attached to an enterprise network. The SpeechNet server receives the picking orders from the WMS and forwards them to the individual pickers. The pickers wear a small client computer equipped with a headset and a radio. P2V sends verbal instructions to the pickers, who then confirm the operation by speaking commands such as "got it" or "backload item." The response from the picker is sent back to the SpeechNet server, where it is converted to data that is then fed back to the WMS.

The management features of P2V provide statistical information for both individual and overall warehouse performance, including cases per hour picked and break time tracking. Supervisors are also able to monitor pickers for training or auditing purposes.

Mobile Assistant meets Via Voice
Xybernaut, another developer of wearable computers, has teamed up with computer giant IBM's Industry Solutions Lab (Stuttgart, Germany; www.ibm.com) and the Software Zentrum (Boblingen, Germany), a software-oriented association, to integrate IBM's Via Voice speech recognition technologies into customer-oriented, voice-controlled application solutions. These software solutions will enable new user groups to benefit from utilizing hands-free, and mobile wearable computer technologies.

Xybernaut will provide its new Mobile Assistant IV with 233 MHz MMX technology, up to 128 MB memory and 4 GB hard drive packaged into a lightweight WINTEL, belt-worn module. It will let mobile users participate in information sharing and exchange by integrating them into corporate and public information networks.

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