Developing a voice-activated control device for household electrical goods and ticket machines

Fagor Home Electrics Group and Telvent (technological offshoot of Abengoa), working with the University of the Basque Country and the IKERLAN technological centre, are involved in the Genio project, with the aim of directing and designing the manufacture of devices capable of voice-based dialogue, thus enabling such products to join the new array within the concept of Environmental Intelligence. The work being carried out aims to fit products with the ability to orally communicate with people, to recognise them and to respond to their requests with natural voice technology. The main result of the project will be the design of two robust functional prototypes, reduced in cost, and made using “embedded hardware-software” architecture, with the following tasks allocated to each company:

• FAGOR ELECTRODOMÉSTICOS: Control system by means of natural voice technology for advanced electrical and other household goods such as safety and comfort systems, entertainment and leisure items (TV, Hi-Fi, video-game console, etc.) and services associated with them. Each user will be able to control the operation of each device, and the overall set of devices, exclusively using their voice, by means of natural dialogue processes with the Maior-Domo (“the butler”) domotic manager. Moreover, an additional interface will be available based on visualisation screen and projectors distributed around the home.

• TELVENT: System for conversational access, by means of natural voice technology, for information and ticket purchase in train and underground ticket machines. Users will be able to carry out basic operations to purchase any tickets and to get information provided by the machine. It will have a user-friendly visual interface and special attention will be paid to accessibility for the blind. The Genio project is a part of the Basque Government Intek programme and it is predicted that it will be ready for 2006.