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Google India engineers build voice-based search feature
By siliconindia
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Saturday, 08 December 2007, 18:01 IST
Bangalore: The India research lab of Google, is building a voice-based search feature for markets in India. The voice-based search feature will allow phone users to ask for information on neighbourhood restaurants, services and theatres, reported Livemint.
Google's voice algorithm, a software code, is undergoing "utterance training." This will allow the code to recognize English words in different accents, as can be the case with users in India. Until the user selects the right option, the fully automated service will keep giving answers over the phone.
Last week Prasad Ram, Head of Google R&D in India, in a Computer Society of India conference said, "For nearly 35 percent of the population who may never have access to a computer, this (telephone) may be the only way for accessing information."
Google launched a free, telephone-based service, known as 411 in U.S in April. The phone helped the users to get information on businesses such as pizza shops and restaurants. In the past year, in India, Google has been aggressive in building a database for local and text-based search on mobile phones.
