Speech recognition and mobile field solutions
Steve Bourgeois
Datria Systems, Inc.
7211 South Peoria Street, #260
Englewood, CO 80112
Introduction
Telecommunications and Utilities are using Mobile Computing with PDAs, new wearable computers and
cell phones for faster customer response, quicker outage management, storm recovery, and improved
customer service. Speech recognition as the user interface and light weight wearable computers have
progressed to the point where proven solutions are now in the market allowing hands free, eyes up speech
data collection and data entry, whether collecting asset location and condition or inputting information
through a defined forms template. Combine speech and a cell phone with connectivity to the Internet
along with dispatching and routing allows real time mobile dispatching and access by the field for
reporting. This paper will discuss speech recognition and wearable computing/cell phone applications in
Telecommunications and Utility market as a critical component to an enterprise-wide information
management system in creating a competitive advantage. Specific examples of how companies such as
BellSouth, Cingular Wireless, Florida Power and Light, Mobile Gas, and SoCal Edison are using speech
recognition as part of their mobile workforce strategy with real business benefits will be discussed.
Abstract
As organizations strive to become more efficient, they continue to explore and apply advanced
technologies to assist them in improving their operational processes and becoming more responsive to
their customers and constituents. They invest millions in powerful enterprise systems, including
Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS), Work Force Automation Systems (WFA),
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). They expect to
leverage these complex, data-intensive systems to achieve better management and maintenance of
physical assets and improved operational efficiencies within their business processes. However, these
systems are meaningless without data and extension of the information into the field.
The Enterprise Wide Solution is comprised of three main components: 1) Database, 2) Data Exploitation
Infrastructure and 3) Data Collection Applications. The enterprise solution has no value without the
database. The database loses value as the quality of the data decreases. Issues surrounding data are: 1)
Currency of data, 2) Cost of collection, 3) Accuracy of the data. It takes a constant investment to keep
current and accurate data in the system. The enterprise is constantly changing and maintaining an
awareness of assets is critical to most organizations.
Data accuracy and the cost of making bad decisions weigh heavily on management. The cost of
collecting the data prohibits many organizations from having sufficient information to make informed
decisions. This leads to the issue of data availability. Without data, the enterprise cannot capitalize on the
functional performance of its information systems.
Interestingly, while many of these enterprise systems have provided cost-benefits by improving field
support functions in the office, few have had any real impact on field productivity. Most field
applications provide benefit by improving or eliminating office functions, such as paperwork and data
input processes, or by reducing overtime through better scheduling. But they rarely see major efficiencies
in the actual fieldwork. An enterprise wide solution without data is just more interesting software.
So, what if you could replace labor-intensive data collection methods with a faster, more accurate and
intuitive method of collecting data and completing forms while saving time and money? What if there
was a voice-enabled system that allowed you to create a virtual office wherever your work took you?
Advances in the field of data collection have progressed to the point where you can collect the data using
speech, with your hands free and your eyes up. This applies to collecting data on the location and
condition of assets, routine work reports through speech enables form templates. Field professionals now
have the freedom to travel within their environment, while actively populating their database speech-to-data
products. Field professionals have current and accurate information immediately available for on-the-
spot decisions.
This paper will discuss the benefits of utilizing speech technology in a mobile computing environment to
collect the data required in implementing enterprise-wide solutions to effectively manage your business.
