AT&T Tech Gives Voice to IM Toys


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AT&T Tech Gives Voice to IM Toys

By Jay Wrolstad

www.WirelessNewsFactor.com,

Part of the NewsFactor Network

July 31, 2002

http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/18797.html

Employing AT&T speech engine technology, United Internet Technologies has created small robots that sit on top of a PC and read instant messages in distinct human voices.

Toys that talk, converting instant messaging (IM) text to speech, are being rolled out by a California company that is using a speech engine from AT&T (NYSE: T) with its proprietary wireless platform. United Internet Technologies (UIT), a subsidiary of United Leisure Corporation, has licensed AT&T's Natural Voices text-to-speech engine for use in a new line of small robotic devices that work with personal computers and IM software.

Dubbed "Instant Messaging Buddies," the eight-inch-tall toys are placed on or near a PC and speak written text from instant messages using wireless light-source modulation transfer links, UIT CEO Brian Shuster told Wireless NewsFactor.

Smarter Than the Average Robot

"We call them 'brilliant' toys because, while there are plenty of 'smart' toys on the market, ours go beyond smart," enthused Shuster. "After searching among the best text-to-speech technologies, we were most impressed by the AT&T product," Shuster said. "Their voices were, by far, the most realistic that we have heard." He noted that the characters are assignable, meaning that they can be assigned to a specific IM screen name, such as that of a friend or relative.

The initial version of the toy sits on top of a computer monitor with its legs dangling over the screen and uses light-reading sensors embedded in its heels to read IM text and convert it to voice. Future products will be able to convert the messages from a short distance away.

Translation Capability

Also powered by the AT&T speech engine, plush "Splats" toys can deliver both American and British English voices, as well as French and Spanish, and will be available in quantity early next year, Shuster said. They are designed to offer translation capability for pen pals and others sending international messages.

In September, UIT will launch Warner Brothers' Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck IM-voice toys with limited capabilities, targeting the cartoon-watching crowd. Shuster said the company also has licensed the "T2" talking head character from the film "Terminator 2" and will be rolling out other models in the future.

Not Just for Kids

"We are opening up new applications for the Internet, marrying the interactive world and the entertainment world," UIT's Shuster said. The company's proprietary product, I-C-IT (Intelligent Control Interactive Technology), is a hardware and software platform for connecting devices via the Internet and in other networked environments.

Shuster emphasized that the devices are not just for kids. They can be used by business professionals, for example, who need translations for their international messages.

Paul Pilsbury, business development manager for AT&T, told Wireless NewsFactor that the Natural Voices software can be used in an array of applications, including voice portals, CRM, messaging and telematics. The product comprises a text-to-speech engine that synthesizes written words into speech, a library of male and female voices in different languages, and voice customization capability.

Nevertheless, the IM "Buddies" come loaded with games and can be fitted with educational applications, so children clearly are the primary target market. The devices are being manufactured by Harilela in Hong Kong and will retail for US$20 to $25.

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