Kirusa and Acapela Group expand their partnership to speech enable Multimodal solutions around the world.

Kirusa, the leading provider of multimodal platforms enabling wireless applications delivery, and Acapela Group have signed a strategic reseller agreement reinforcing the partnership set up between the two companies in 2003 and already validated with applications such as Volkswagen's prototype multimodal car manual application, winner of the Automechanika Innovation Award. Acapela high quality text to speech will voice-enable Kirusa flagship product, Kirusa Multimodal Solution (KMS-IPV) which enables simultaneous multimodality on smart devices (based on Java, Symbian, MS Smartphone, Brew, PalmOS and PocketPC). With KMS-IPV, users have access to all the standard (visual) input and output mechanisms available on their mobile devices augmented with voice input, voice output and voice recording. The KMS-IPV can be used by ISV's to create multimodal solutions, such as the Volkswagen application, developed by 8hertz technologies and mentioned above.

Acapela text to speech will also give the say to Kirusa Voice SMS (KV.SMS), an easy to use application, based on the Kirusa Multimodal Solution, which allows mobile users to reply to SMS text messages by voice, to send an SMS message by voice, and to receive SMS messages with voice content, on all mobile devices, and on all wireless networks, greatly enhancing the reach of SMS messaging and voice messaging to a wider population of mobile users.

David Berkley, Chief Scientist of Kirusa, Inc. says: "Excellent speech software, as provided by Acapela, is a critical technology component for delivery of multimodal interfaces for mobile applications. Multimodal applications, such as media search and voice SMS, combine vocal and visual capabilities simultaneously, to enable easy access and use of mobile data applications."

To optimise user interactivity with mobile devices, Acapela speech enables the world in motion with very high quality and accurate speech, in 22 languages and up to 50 voices. Acapela text to speech actively contributes to invent a new way of working, sharing knowledge and simplifying everyday lives, simplifying access to information for users always on the move. Acapela text to speech answers to performance requirements and quality demands, voice-enlarging a world of information usually limited by a tiny screen.

"Multimodality is a key driver for widespread adoption of speech technologies in the mobility environment. We are very happy to reinforce this long term and successful partnership set up in 2003 with an innovative player such as Kirusa. Their patent-pending multimodal platform combines the best functionality of both visual and voice interfaces and our partnership allows our companies to give the say to outstanding applications throughout the world" adds Antoine Kauffeisen, Marketing Director of Acapela Group.