PR releases

CSR launches full hands-free experience through addition of integrated speech synthesis and speech recognition function to its BlueCore5-Multimedia platform

Cambridge, UK – 24 April 2008 – CSR (LSE: CSR) today announced that its BlueCore5-Multimedia platform now supports integrated speech synthesis, also known as text-to-speech (TTS), and speech recognition (SR) functionality.

Developed through its third party eXtension Partner Programme with NowSpeak and Rubidium Ltd., CSR can now offer headset and hands-free car kit users a true hands-free experience when using Bluetooth accessories. CSR’s industry leading BlueCore5-Multimedia platform is the only Bluetooth device on the market with an integrated DSP and on-chip memory, allowing it to host third party software to offer end users an unprecedented level of audio quality and functionality when using Bluetooth.

By combining speech synthesis and SR technologies CSR provides users with ultimate control when communicating via either a Bluetooth headset or embedded car kit. When a call is received on the user’s mobile phone, the speech synthesis engine announces the name or number of the caller, allowing the user to decide whether or not to accept the call, and use SR to answer the call without the need to press a button. Speech synthesis can be used as a connection and pairing status guide and can inform the user of the title of a music track played over Bluetooth. Furthermore, SR allows users to easily and safely control a vast array of functions through voice commands, including call acceptance and rejection, voice dialling, and music control and selection. Speech synthesis and SR together provide users of a CSR BlueCore5-Multimedia based product with the ultimate hands free experience.

NowSpeak offers the complete handsfree interface for CSR BlueCore devices with its next generation text-to-speech and speech recognition products. Its text-to-speech technology automatically synthesises speech from text in real time and has been specifically optimised to speak people's names, phone numbers and device status phrases with a natural voice. With support for all major languages and a small memory footprint it is possible to include multiple languages in a Bluetooth device. Its speaker independent speech recognition requires no user training, supports multiple vocabularies and can be used to recognise words, digits or whole phrases. NowSpeak's speech recognition is designed to work in real world situations with background noise reduction and rejection of unwanted sounds. NowSpeak text-to-speech and speech recognition solutions can be integrated together or used independently.

Rubidium’s speech synthesis and SR offering, is available on the CSR BlueCore5-Multimedia platform. Rubidium’s speech synthesis uses concatenate TTS based on real human speech to produce pure and natural sound, while keeping use of computational resources exceptionally low. It supports diverse languages, and was designed to offer rapid and flexible addition of virtually any language and voice. Rubidium’s core SR technology derives from its proprietary Rubidium Dialog Engine™ series, featuring speaker independent recognition and supporting keyword spotting and noise robustness. Optimised to support essentially any language and accent, it uses artificial intelligence elements to cope with natural language, dynamic vocabularly and multi-layer dialogues.

CSR’s BlueCore5-Multimedia has been specifically designed to enable best in class audio for applications including high-end stereo and mono headsets. Its powerful 64 MIPS DSP allows customers to add audio or voice enhancement software available through CSR’s eXtension Partner Program to further boost the performance and functionality of their end designs.

Anthony Murray, Senior Vice President of CSR’s Wireless Audio Strategic Business Unit commented “CSR’s BlueCore5-Multimedia platform is the only Bluetooth device in the market that provides a speech controlled user interface for the Bluetooth accessory market. Thanks to CSR’s powerful integrated DSP on-chip, eXtension Partners such as NowSpeak and Rubidium can provide true hands-free experience to our customers on a single-chip, reducing the total cost of eBoM for customers.”

About CSR

CSR is the leading global provider of personal wireless technology and its product portfolio covers Bluetooth, GPS, FM and Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). CSR offers developed hardware/software solutions, based around its silicon platforms, that incorporate fully integrated radio, baseband and microcontroller elements.

CSR’s customers include industry leaders such as Apple, Dell, LG, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Panasonic, RIM, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TomTom and Toshiba.

CSR has its headquarters and offices in Cambridge, UK, and offices in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, India, France, Denmark, Sweden and both Dallas and Detroit in the USA.

More information can be found at http://www.csr.com/pr/pr334.htm