OVERVIEW

Introduction

Voice Extensible Markup Language (VoiceXML) is a markup language for creating voice user interfaces that use automatic speech recognition (ASR) and text-to-speech synthesis (TTS). AT&T, IBM, Lucent and Motorola founded the VoiceXML Forum, a global industry organization, in March, 1999 to promote and to accelerate the adoption of VoiceXML-based applications worldwide. More than 10,000 commercial VoiceXML-based speech applications have been deployed across a diverse set of industries, including financial services, government, insurance, retail, telecommunications, transportation, travel and hospitality. Millions of calls are answered by VoiceXML applications every day! The Forum’s primary focus areas include:
  • Promoting the adoption of VoiceXML-based speech applications worldwide
  • Cultivating a global VoiceXML ecosystem
  • Actively supporting standards bodies and industry consortia, such as the W3C and IETF, as they work on VoiceXML and related standards, such as CCXML, X+V, and MRCP.

The VoiceXML Specification

Version 1.0 of the VoiceXML specification was delivered to the W3C in May 2000. Today, the W3C has published both Version 2.0 and 2.1 of the VoiceXML specification as final “Recommendations.” A W3C Recommendation is the equivalent of a Web standard. The W3C, with input from the VoiceXML Forum and the industry at large, is currently working on Version 3.0 of the VoiceXML specification.

The VoiceXML Advantage

VoiceXML is the only XML-based speech language specification to receive the W3C’s Final Recommendation. VoiceXML simplifies speech application development by permitting developers to use familiar Web infrastructure, tools and techniques. VoiceXML also enables distributed application design by separating each application’s user interaction layer from its service logic. Most developers find VoiceXML application development at least three times faster than development in traditional interactive voice response (IVR) environments. For these reasons, VoiceXML has been widely adopted within the speech industry.

VoiceXML Forum Activities

The VoiceXML Forum is active on a variety of technical, educational and marketing fronts. Its activities include:

Technical Activities
  • Enhancing VoiceXML to support multimodal applications to create XHMTL+Voice or “X+V”
  • Defining platform interfaces for tools, management applications and telephony
  • Enhancing VoiceXML to complement the features in the W3C language specification charter, adding, for example, data logging
  • Addressing the needs of sensory-impaired individuals via the Forum’s Accessibility Committee
Certification Activities
  • Platform testing and certification to support application portability and vendor interoperability
  • Developer certification program to foster growth and maturity of the VoiceXML developer community and to inspire new developers to sharpen their VoiceXML skills
Marketing and Educational Activities
  • Presenting Webinars that feature recognized industry experts
  • Hosting user group meetings
  • Participating in industry conferences, such as AVIOS and SpeechTEK
  • Preparing and posting Web tutorials
  • Publishing the VoiceXML Review, a bi-monthly e-zine with technical and business features:

    • www.voicexmlreview.org

Membership Information

All companies interested in promoting VoiceXML are encouraged to join the VoiceXML Forum as Promoters or Supporters. Promoters may participate in technical and marketing committees, serve as chairs of committees and working groups, participate in Forum-sponsored and VoiceXML-related events, submit technical contributions, access the members-only area of the VoiceXML Forum Website and receive meeting minutes and draft documents via subscription to members-only e-mail lists. Supporters may obtain early access to technical documentation, participate in Forum-sponsored and VoiceXML-related events, enjoy inclusion in the public list of Forum Members on the Website and participate in and contribute to technical committees at the discretion of the relevant committee chair. Additional membership information can be found on the VoiceXML Forum web site: http://www.voicexml.org/join.html

For further information on the VoiceXML Forum, please contact:

VoiceXML Forum (www.voicexml.org)
c/o IEEE-ISTO
445 Hoes Lane
Piscataway , NJ 08854 USA
Contact VoiceXML Forum Staff
+ 1 732 465 6464



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