You Won’t Need A Remote With VoiceDVD & VCA’s Voice-Activated DVD Player Softwar

[J.A.F._Doorhof]

VoiceDVD, a wholly owned subsidiary of WENR Corp., and VCA Interactive, a division of VCA Labs Inc., a leading producer of adult entertainment, have developed a voice-controlled DVD player software. VCA is releasing a Beta version of the DVD player on an upcoming title in July. Once testing is completed, the player will be incorporated into an interactive title to be released January 2003.

VoiceDVD was created to allow viewers to control their DVD players with voice commands. VoiceDVD licensed the technology from ScreenFriends Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of WENR Corp. VoiceDVD and VCA jointly developed the DVD player software. Initially the VoiceDVD will be sold by VCA, but in the future the technology may be licensed to other studios. Purchasers of upcoming VCA Interactive DVDs will be able to operate the DVD player with voice commands for common functions, such as "play, pause, fast forward, etc." The player will also enable the user to command embedded functionality that will emulate conversing with the actors in the movie, thereby creating a "truly" interactive experience for the users.

The software, accessible only through Windows-based computers, will allow users to access functions such as menu items and skipping chapters. Allen Gold, head of VCA Interactive, said the voice recognition software is also being written to understand variations of commands that will take viewers to specific angles, actions and points on the disc. If users' acceptance is positive, VoiceDVD is planning to bring this technology to standard DVD players.

"This technology provides the user with a more interactive experience," says Azat Aslanyan, project manager for VoiceDVD. He adds, "They are able to converse with the characters in the movie with their voice rather than the click of the mouse. This gives the user a real feeling of a one-on-one experience."

CONTACT:
http://www.voicedvd.com