Speech Recognition System



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Speech Recognition Directory Assistance System

Speech Recognition Software Added to Telephone System

Information Technology - Telecommunications implemented a speech recognition system for the Carbondale campus on July 1, 2002.

This new service will improve customer service for incoming calls to published campus telephone numbers. By calling 453-2121 or 0 (calling from an on-campus phone), callers will now have the capability of being connected to their desired destination twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week as well as have access to the campus operators during normal business hours. The system will also have the ability to transfer calls to students residing in campus housing facilities and soon the latest information on campus events and activities will be added. If a caller needs campus information, they can be transferred directly to the Student Center Information Station during their open hours.

Callers will be greeted by a digital recorded voice asking if they would like the telephone number of a person, department, or campus information. After responding to the request, the system will confirm the caller’s selection by repeating the name and then transferring to the desired location. Sophisticated algorithms deliver very high levels of recognition accuracy for every call regardless of background noise, accents, mispronounced words, or similar sounding names. If the database search turns up more than one name, the system will ask the caller for additional information then instantly search the entire directory again for the desired result. Campus text files from most database formats, can be phonetically transcribed and stored in a format enabling a search to be performed based upon the caller’s voice input.

Additional applications will be added to the system after the operator and information project phases are complete. One application would allow campus constituents the capability of having a pizza delivered to their location by simply dialing into the system and speaking “pizza.” They would then be prompted to speak the name of the business and automatically have their call placed to the pizza establishment of their choice.

Please contact the Customer Service area in Telecommunications at 453-2484 for additional information or to make changes in name pronunciation or department names.