A software that'll speak to you

Humans understand better while listening than through reading. That is why, many a time even when details with regard to filling a simple application form are printed on a document, one tends to ask the person standing next to him/her to explain the procedure.

Taking a cue from this human characteristic, a Hyderabad-based product development company, is developing a software that can not only answer questions that are typed into the system but can also interact verbally with the user. Called TrulyIntelligent Technologies Private Limited, the 20-member company is into hardcore R&D and has already applied for four patents.

The company is developing a software called 'Lilo' that will be able to answer questions on practically anything under the sun. For instance, if a tourist wishes to know about the five-star hotels in Hyderabad, he/she will have to type in the question for which the software will flash a list immediately.

"The difference between this software and other existing search engines is that in the latter, the answers are based on the keywords that are typed in, but in the case of the former, the software understands the meaning of words like 'what', 'when' and 'how' and gives appropriate answers," Ayyappa Nagubandi, leader at TrulyIntelligent Technologies Private Limited says.

For instance, if one were to type in a question, 'Where is Charminar located?', in any of the existing search engines, the engine would display a list of those sites that have the individual words like 'where', 'is' and 'Charminar' in them. But in the case of Lilo, the meaning of the question would be deciphered and the answer would be given accordingly.

The software right now answers in text to questions typed in text. But at the time of launch (within a year's time), it will be able to interact voice-to-voice as well. "And language will not be an issue in this regard," Nagubandi says.

The company is already in talks with a few state government officials in this regard and is contemplating tying-up with them to set up kiosks wherein such information can be accessed by the general public. The company will be marketing the products on CDs and through the web too.

"There are many ways in which such interactive software can be used. We are thinking of developing a software that can be used in big airports like the one that is being built at Shamshabad. If such kiosks are installed at the airports, they will enable a user to find the exact direction to a counter or a terminal without any human help," he adds.

"We are also in the process of developing a software that can be used in ATM machines so that the machine can interact with the user via voice. So a user will be directed on what needs to be done, via voice, instead of having to read the screen for further directions. The machine will be able to understand what the human voice is saying and will either answer the queries or do what is being said," Nagubandi says.

The two-and-a-half-year-old company that has got angel funding for its initial stages of development, is in talks with a few venture capitalists for further development and marketing of the products. TrulyIntelligent is also working on a next-generation email that will hit the market soon.