Music Player and Handheld Controller adds voice search and voice control commands

Avoca Semiconductor Inc. (Avoca), a provider of voice-enabled user interface solutions, announces the launch of its VIP systems family. Avoca systems provide owners of music collections with an easy way to access, play and enjoy their music. Its unique voice-activated technology adds "Voice" to the senses of touch and sight traditional interfaces employ.

A new interface category called Voice-Enabled Multi-modal Interface (VMI) is at the core of Avoca's first system, the VIP Music Edition, and embedded in the Music Edition's powerful handheld controller, the Music Companion™. Avoca's VMI implementation also introduces two important innovations to the use of music players. First, there is no need for users to train the system to recognize each user's voice. Second, the system immediately allows any number of family members or friends to use the VIP Music Edition. The system instantly understands plain English phrases, regardless of speaker.

"We get a kick out of the voice-enabled interface, and like the way it is in the living room," said early adopter Nick Deeble, "It's convenient and easy to access, search and find music." Another initial owner, Larry Sargent, said "The Avoca system works like a charm! It provides the best audio convenience and performance I could imagine. I can play all my CDs, anywhere in the house, anytime. And we all enjoy having the voice search interface."

Avoca technology also acknowledges users' native intelligence, recognizing they often know exactly what they want a system to do.

Avoca's unique Say it-Play it™ touch-and-talk interface is based on its Media Control Platform™ (MCP) technology. The technology is embedded in the Music Companion, the powerful, wireless handheld remote included with each VIP Music Edition. The Music Companion also includes a 3 × 2.25-inch touch-screen on which users can browse their music libraries by genre, artist, album, or track. Users can control their audio environments by voice or touch, as they prefer, from anywhere in a home, without depending on a direct line of sight to the Music Edition, or to a TV or other screen to see the music list.

The Say it-Play it interface responds to simple, intuitive voice commands like: "Play The Eagles...Play the Boss...Set volume to 8...Display by Artist...Queue Yesterday," and so on. Users can also attach nicknames or shorter names to music items, making them even more convenient to select.

Each Music Edition system supports up to seven Music Companions, making it easy to bring voice-enabled music to any room in a house. The Avoca platform is designed to allow homeowners to take advantage of a custom installer's or integrator's ingenuity to create enhanced implementations of the VIP systems family, bringing the Music Companion's power to other elements of a home control or automation system.

The Avoca Music Companion is included with each VIP Music Edition, which is available now from authorized Avoca dealers at suggested prices starting at $3,990.
More information can be found at www.avocasemi.com.