CTIA: Microsoft taps Yap for speech-to-text

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is bringing speech-to-text capabilities to Sprint (NYSE:S) courtesy of Yap, a cloud-based speech recognition services provider. Through Sprint’s Talk to Text mobile application, which Microsoft developed specifically for the carrier’s line of BlackBerry devices, users will able to speak their text message and emails.

Through a simple Web services interface, Yap draws on the cloud for automated speech recognition and transcription. Marcello Typrin, Yap's vice president of marketing and product management, said that Microsoft was able to integrate Yap’s technology into its Talk to Text app with just a few lines of code.

“We are a cloud service, completely in the network with no dependency on the device or operating system or being an on-premise device structure,” Typrin said. Microsoft now has the right to deploy Yap’s technology across any of its devices, including potentially its Windows Phone 7 Series handsets, but today’s announcement only applies to Sprint BlackBerries, he said.

The speech-to-text market, led by companies like Nuance Communications, owner of both SpinVox and Jott, has been a hot area on mobile as states have tightened the laws around chatting or texting while driving. It will be a big focus of this week’s CTIA show too, which is featuring the Safe Driving Solutions Pavilion. A number of hands-free focused, speech recognition companies will be present here, including iSafe, Aegis Mobility, Drive Safe.ly and newcomer ZoomSafer.

Matt Howard founded ZoomSafer in early 2009 after he nearly ran over his eight-year-old neighbor while checking his mobile email. Looking for away to let mobile-addicted consumers continue to use their phone in the car, but do so in safe manner, led him to form ZoomSafer. Ahead of CTIA today, the company is introducing a hands-free service that enables voice-based access to text, email, Twitter and Facebook. Called VoiceMate, the service audibly alerts a driver when email or text messages are received from prioritized contacts. Through one click, the driver can choose to listen to the message and respond using his voice or wait until he is no longer in motion. The driver can also update his Facebook status or send a Tweet using his voice as well.

Drawing on the phone’s GPS, the phone can automatically be put in lockdown when on the road. Howard stressed that the company makes policy management software, but it doesn’t set the policies for consumers, so it is up to them to provision when they want the service in place and when they don’t. If activated, ZoomSafer also deploys auto-replies to incoming emails, voice calls and texts to indicate that person is on the road. VoiceMate is an add-on to the basic $2.99 monthly or $25 one-time ZoomSafer service for $3.99 per month or $40 per year.

Howard called the mobile-device trend coupled with the dangers of distracted driving a $40 billion perfect storm. The more powerful mobile phones become, the greater the distraction level if they’re used while driving. Today, 21 states have hands-free legislation and more are addressing it from an education perspective, but he said that technology has to play a role too. ZoomSafer is specifically targeting parents who might buy it for their teens or corporations who would buy it to limit the liability of their mobile workforce.

“States that have passed legislation are seeing limited if any impact,” Howard said. “Left to their own devices, the device itself and use of the device is something people have a hard time stopping. They need simple tools. That impact can be made with ZoomSafer, a policy management framework installed on to the device to ensure the motorist cant text or email if they want to, but do it in safe, legal and hands-free way.”