Korean scientists develop voice control system for PVRs and VOD, trials begin later this year

Soon you may not need that remote control to find and play TV shows recorded on your favourite PVR.  South Korean scientists have a developed an innovative speech control system, which allows users to search for programmes and navigate menus with voice commands rather than words.
SKorea’s state-run Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) has developed speech recognition software which allows the set to recognise TV shows, actors and other metadata as vocal commands, with 92 per cent accuracy. Viewers might soon be able to request VOD movies simply by asking their set top box for the show of their choice.

A lexicon database of more than 500,000 words can be stored in a set top box. The first user trials will begin later this year.
Says researcher Park Sang-kyu: ‘We believe that developing an IPTV system enabled with speech-recognition capabilities will make IPTV an easier experience for viewers, thus making the service more marketable. The technology could also be a key in IPTV's transition toward Internet television.’