Google Search, soon voice-triggered
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It took more than a year, but finally it’s done. Google recently achieved to patent its voice-activated search engine, now filed under the Patent #7,027,987 by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
In essence, the new technology allow to launch Google searches through a computer’s microphone or by phone. A voice interface recognizes human spoken grammar, translates it into boolean instructions just as if the request was typed, and gives a list of queries in return.
Even if this looks nice, speech-to-text technologies haven’t been that efficient so far. Human grammar is more than complex. Spoken styles, slang, or new words could lower the quality of the decryption. Add to this the bad quality of microphones, or even surrounding noises that could hamper the process.
Anyway, with this patent, but also the previous patent on adverts in free WiFi networks (see Adsense in Google WiFi networks), Google is beefing up its arsenal for wireless communications.
One possible scenario could be: You’re an European or Asian or African or whatsoever tourist visiting San Fransisco for the very first time. Indeed, you’re lost in the middle of nowhere. And instead of asking people, you take out your dual-mode mobile phone or just your regular VoIP wireless phone, tell the computer you want to reach Google Maps and voilà, you’re saved ― and you pray God to let Sergei Brin and Larry Page enter the Heavens.
What do you think?
Apr 14, 2006 | By Nuno
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