A VOICE FOR THE WEB Much of the technology driving Web sites hasn't changed much in the last year or so. The dramatic rush for new technology that helped spur the Web into everyone's home and/or office has slowed quite a bit. But don't fret; there are still new developments helping to usher in the next stage of the Web. The Voice eXtensible Markup Language (VXML or VoiceXML) can help give your Web site a new voice. OVERVIEW Some of the concepts for VoiceXML come from other more mature technologies such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR). IVR is the technology behind voice-activated telephone systems. If you've ever heard "Push one for..." then you've probably used IVR technology. VoiceXML allows a Web site to take advantage of interacting with people using both speech and XML. Using VoiceXML, you could browse the Web without ever touching a keyboard. The goal of VoiceXML is not so much just to allow a Web surfer to hear what's on your page; instead, it aims to provide a "voice gateway" through a telephone that would allow a person to call up your Web site rather than surf to it. The major implication is that this could simplify development for organizations that have call centers, Web sites, and IVRs. They could implement their Web site first and then add a VoiceXML gateway allowing customers to interact with the Web application via the telephone (most likely a wireless one). DETAILS When it comes down to it, VoiceXML provides the functionality of an IVR system. Using Automated Speech Recognition (ASR), VoiceXML applications can make decisions based on the voice response of the user. The fact that the user is making voice responses, interactively, is why this is called IVR technology. VoiceXML development is very much like Web development. The language itself is similar to HTML's form implementation, with some added logic controls for specifying application behavior. You build your VoiceXML applications using
elements. Processing occurs within the form and then can be transferred to other forms using a element. Developers can also take advantage of common if-then-else logic using the and elements. VoiceXML allows developers to use variables as well. The element will assign a value to a variable, while the element uses the value of the corresponding variable. This allows a VoiceXML application to perform more complex logic processes within the application. You can find out more about VoiceXML by visiting the VoiceXML Forum Web site. http://click.online.com/Click?q=14-5MRAIF-n43mqVue8ZgaJzhK_7LuR SUMMARY Organizations that are currently looking at IVR technology should consider VoiceXML. This technology provides both IVR and ASR functionality using a simple XML grammar. Brian Schaffner is a Senior Consultant for DMR Consulting, a Fujitsu company. He provides architecture, design, and development support for DMR's Telcom360 group. ------------------------------------------