Hitachi RISC-Based Platforms Running IBM Speech Technology Allow Voice-Controlled Car Infotainment and Telematics
Hitachi Semiconductor (America) Inc. today announced that Hitachi's 32-bit SuperH(R) RISC-based platforms now support IBM's Embedded ViaVoice speech technology. (3/7/2002)
This will help accelerate the development of next-generation car infotainment and telematics applications built on the 32-bit SuperH RISC-based platforms.Hitachi and IBM plan to deliver additional platforms that are optimized with voice recognition technology.
This new capability is part of the memorandum of understanding signed between Hitachi, Ltd. and IBM's Pervasive Computing Division.
Hitachi's platforms for Embedded ViaVoice software currently include two system boards based on Hitachi's SH-4 series RISC microprocessors. These platforms are aimed at car infotainment system (CIS) and telematics applications, in-vehicle electronic products that provide occupants with navigation, safety and security, hands-free telephone, audio and video entertainment, Internet commerce, and location based functions and services, among others.
“Car infotainment and telematics systems are driving growth in the automotive industry” said Tatsuo Yamamoto, vice president of CIS/Telematics Business Unit at Hitachi (America) Inc.
"By offering a tested combination of hardware and software, we can make it easier to implement voice interface and control functions so our customers can boost the benefits their in-vehicle systems provide. Importantly, voice control may be able to reduce driver distractions and simplify system operation, a major safety advantage and a big selling point. Our SH-4 processors have speed to spare when running IBM's voice technology software, so they're powerful application enablers. To help customers design new applications, Hitachi would work with IBM to enable developers to have a flexible, reliable development environment with a complete set of hardware and software tools and voice-recognition middleware."
Two Hitachi development platforms, based on the Hardware Architecture Reference Platform (HARP), are helping system engineers jump-start car infotainment and telematics systems. Both use popular SuperH RISC processors. One (US7750-HRP1xA**) uses the 200-MHz/360-MIPS SH7750 32-bit RISC processor; the other (US7751-HRP1xA), the 167-MHz/300-MIPS SH7751R processor with on-chip PCI interface. The modular platforms accommodate add-on personality boards, including a general-purpose interface board with an HD64404 companion chip and a graphics board with an HD64413 graphics engine. For maximum system design flexibility, the platforms would be able to run all major operating systems. Hitachi plans future automotive-oriented development platforms based on a SuperH system-on-a-chip (SoC) device to reduce system chip count.
IBM's Embedded ViaVoice family of products includes solutions for many aspects of a voice-enabled Internet. The ViaVoice distributed voice technology includes embedded software for in-auto telematics devices, as well as server software for service providers. The Embedded ViaVoice software running on Hitachi's platforms includes robust voice recognition plus text-to-speech conversion. The IBM Embedded ViaVoice Standard Multiplatform Edition performs speaker independent voice command and control with an active 500-word vocabulary using just 50MIPS. However, applications can use multiple 500-word vocabularies, making the number of words or phrases limited only by the amount of memory in a system or device. IBM's Embedded Text-To-Speech vocabulary is unlimited.
Voice technology is rapidly increasing its presence in business and consumer products," said William S. "Ozzie" Osborne, vice president, Segment Management, IBM Pervasive Computing Division. "We are pleased to be working with Hitachi to provide a full range of applications -- from Internet appliances in cars to consumer electronics and telecommunications. Demand is increasing dramatically as telematics solution providers realize the value that voice technology adds."
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