Computers that hear and respond

Article Abstract:

Bolt, Beranek & Newman Inc are developing a new computer system that responds to voice commands. Currently being developed under a grant from the Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA) for the military, the system runs on any workstation that uses UNIX as its operating system. It recognizes voice commands of most English speakers. A prototype is expected by mid-1992. Several other voice recognition projects are under development by other companies under DARPA's Spoken Language Initiative. SRI International is testing an airline reservation package that allows the user to call up information on available flights by making verbal requests to the computer. SRI is negotiating with American Airlines to make its package available to them. Apple Computer is beginning to include speakers in some computers. Voice recognition depends on the computer's ability to understand everyday speech. Currently the number of words a computer can understand is limited.

Prepackaged software, Air transportation, scheduled, Software, Airlines, AAPL, SUNW, American Airlines Inc., Air travel, Voice I/O equipment, Speech recognition, Airline reservations, SRI International, Speech synthesis, Apple Inc., Voice I/O Device, Natural language processing, Voice Synthesis, Natural Language Interfaces, Voice Recognition, Airline Industry, Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., BBN

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Supercomputer maverick

Article Abstract:

Sheryl L. Handler, the founder of Thinking Machines Corp, has built a successful supercomputer firm through business savvy, rather than technical knowledge. Handler, 45, maintains a low profile in her company's public relations, while the company's chief scientist, Danny Hillis, is normally the officer who grants interviews with media. Hillis heads a team of expert scientists from different specialties, who managed to put together a 64,000-microprocessor supercomputer called the Connection Machine in only three years. The company has a revenue of about $100 million, 600 employees and sales of over 100 supercomputers. Thinking Machines recently introduced a new system that costs less than $1 million. While analysts praise Handler's firm, they also note that it will be under great pressures because of competition and a poor economy.

Management, Officials and employees, Computer industry, Biography, Chief executive officers, Management Style, Handler, Sheryl L.

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Questing for the next supercomputer

Article Abstract:

Thinking Machines Corp has a $12 million contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a teraflop computer and expects to have a prototype out in 1992. Current supercomputers can process at a gigaflop rate, or one billion instructions per second. A teraflop computer will be capable of processing 1,000 times faster, or at one trillion instructions per second. The prototype will use parallel processing to achieve its speed and though it will only produce one-tenth the teraflop rate, it is expected to serve as a foundation for future machines.

Research, Parallel processing, Hillis, W. Daniel

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