PC Magazine – March 4, 2010
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YouTube Makes Captioning Available to All

by Mark Hachman

Google’s YouTube on Thursday announced that it has moved its automatic
speech-recognition and closed-captioning technology out of beta and have now
made it available to the YouTube community at large.

Most, if not all, YouTube videos now include a “CC” button that, if pressed,
will automatically generate the closed-captioning technology. The technology
processes the audio feed, using the speech-recognition technology used in
the core voice search feature that has also built into the Android voice
search feature, the GOOG-411 phone search, and other products.

Twenty hours of videos are uploaded to YouTube every minute; Google could
not provide a timetable on when all of the videos would be captioned, but it
will be “very soon,” executives said.

Google rolled out the closed-captioning technology in beta form back in
November, along with a technology to help synchronize the captions to the
actual video.

The technology still isn’t perfect, but Google is also using YouTube, with
its vast array of accents, languages, background noise, and other
distractions to improve its technology.

But the closed-captioning also means that millions of users who are hard of
hearing, deaf, or simply speak another language as their primary language
can now have a greater access to YouTube videos, the company said. “A core
part of YouTube’s DNA is access to content,” said Hunter Walk, the product
team lead for YouTube. “From day one, that’s what we were hoping to do with
video.”

At the present, YouTube can only “understand” spoken English to
auto-generate the caption track. However, Google’s translation services can
also take the English machine-transcription track and translate it to up to
fifty languages. Adding more languages that Google understands “is a
priority,” said Mike Cohen, a speech technologist at Google.

“This is huge,” said Ken Harrenstien, a software engineer at Google and one
of the project’s leaders. “You can go to any video online and now you can
see some captions. It’s not perfect; we know it’s not perfect. Sometimes
it’s funny. But I love it.”

Users can also edit and assist in the transcription. Any text editor or any
tool that’s used to edit caption files can edit the machine transcription,
Google executives said, and then re-upload it for others to use.

On older videos, a button may appear that allows users to request a machine
transcription of the audio. When pressed, an automated request is generated
to the process that generates the transcription. With enough requests, the
video will be pushed upward in the queue. Google executives said that a
typical request may take a few hours to a day or two to be transcribed. As
the process improves, already-transcribed videos may be re-transcribed,
Cohen said.

Google has also partnered with a number of content partners, including UC
Berkeley, Stanford, Duke University, MIT, PBS, National Geographics, and
Demand Media.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 11:33 AM PT with additional
details.

HearPlugz-DF Used Successfully By Military Personnel To Shield Hearing

Boulder, Colo — Ear Inc is reporting that its HearPlugz-DF hearing protection device is successfully shielding the hearing of military service personnel actively in the field.

According to the company, a safety manager from the Army Corps of Engineers has regularly provided the plugs to personnel on convoys, and says that when explosive devices have impacted them, their hearing remains intact allowing them to radio for help.

The new HearPlugz-DF dual-filtered hearing protectors feature variable attenuation. As noise levels rise, noise suppression goes up, allowing speech and radio communications to be heard, says the company. Advanced filter technology improves speech and radio communication without distortion or muffling, and the plugs fit under helmets.. A breathable filter allows for pressure equalization, and the external filter is removable.

Wearers can speak on a cell phone while the plugs are in use. The product, which recently won the Occupational Health & Safety magazine New Product of the Year Award in the hearing protection category is offered in three sizes, and reportedly last for up to 3 years.

Shttp://www.hearingreview.com/insider/2009-12-03_07.asp

SOURCE: EAR Inc

Phonak Presents Audeo MINI – the World’s Smallest Behind-the-Ear Hearing System

Saturday, October 17th 2009

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Article from www.healthyhearing.com

http://www.healthyhearing.com/releases/42855-phonak-presents-aud-o

A Phonak is for everyone: Extended CORE portfolio with new Audéo and Milo product families

Stäfa, Switzerland, October 1st 2009 – Phonak, leading manufacturer of innovative hearing solutions, extends its CORE-based product portfolio with the Audéo and Milo product families. The new CRT models Audéo MINI and Audéo SMART set new standards in size, sound quality and flexibility. With Milo and Milo Plus, the technology leader introduces the first basic segment products integrating CORE functionalities.

State-of-the-art technology across all price segments

With CORE (Communication Optimized Real-audio Engine) Phonak offers the industry’s leading platform for audio processing. All of Phonak’s current products are based on the CORE microprocessor, the fastest and most powerful chip in the market. It enables innovative technologies such as SoundFlow (automatic functionality), WhistleBlock (elimination of acoustic feedback) and ZoomControl (control of hearing focus). A highlight CORE feature is SoundRecover, which expands audibility, improving hearing of conversations in a restaurant, the laughing of children, birdsong or even quiet whispers. In addition, CORE enables the wireless connection to communication or entertainment devices such as telephones, TV sets, MP3 players or a PC.

“With the introduction of the new Audéo and Milo products, we are able to offer our partners an extended product portfolio based on the proven CORE platform”, says Valentin Chapero, CEO of Phonak. “This way, they can present their clients high-performance solutions tailored to their individual lifestyles and budgets.”

The Audéo product line

Following the successful market introduction of Audéo YES, Phonak now presents two additional CRT (Canal Receiver Technology) hearing systems to meet the high demand in this market segment. They are characterized by their new and significantly smaller housings and their outstanding features. All Audéo products are based on the CORE platform and offer innovative technologies such as SoundRecover and SoundFlow.

With Audéo SMART, Phonak introduces the smallest wireless hearing system in the market. Audéo SMART offers maximum performance and unlimited connectivity to a wide range of communication and entertainment devices such as telephones, TV sets, MP3 players or the PC, thus enabling demanding users of hearing systems to lead an active life. Audéo SMART also offers flexible control options: It can be operated directly at the ear via a push button which can be configured as a program selector or a volume control. Alternatively, the hearing system can be operated via the myPilot remote control. ZoomControl allows for easy selection of hearing focus direction, especially beneficial in the car or in other situations in which the wearer cannot face the speaker.

Audéo MINI is the latest and worldwide smallest non-wireless CRT hearing system. It is almost invisible when worn behind the ear and impresses with its tiny size and attractive design. In addition, the new housing supports directional beamforming technology, for crystal-clear speech intelligibility and for improved suppression of background noise. Above all, Audéo MINI is very easy to handle: Thanks to the multi-program automatic SoundFlow, the hearing system adapts to the ever-changing environment in real time and without the need to push any buttons. Audéo MINI is ideal for clients who seek a high-performance, yet discreet and easy-to-use hearing solution.

The award-winning Audéo YES is still available in 17 color combinations, ideal for clients who seek state-of-the-art technology and like to express their individual style.

All Audéo hearing systems are suitable for people with mild to severe hearing loss and are available in three price categories from October 21st, 2009.

Milo and Milo Plus – stand-out basic segment products

Introducing the new Milo and Milo Plus, Phonak now offers two excellent hearing systems in the basic segment. For the first time, Milo brings to the basic price segment essential CORE features such as WhistleBlock, enabling precise feedback identification and cancellation. The highly durable and robust BTE and micro hearing systems are easy to fit and support the use of FM systems.

Milo Plus also employs the proven directional microphone system, Digital AudioZoom, allowing for better speech understanding in noisy environments, four manual programs and a range of in-the-ear products with AOV (Acoustically Optimized Venting).

Milo and Milo Plus are available from October 21st, 2009.

About Phonak

Headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, Phonak, a member of the Sonova Group, has developed, produced and globally distributed state-of-the-art hearing systems and wireless devices for more than 50 years. The combination of expertise in hearing technology, mastery in acoustics and strong cooperation with hearing care professionals allows Phonak to significantly improve people’s hearing ability and speech understanding and therefore their quality of life.

Phonak offers a complete range of digital hearing instruments, along with complementary wireless communication systems. With a worldwide presence, Phonak drives innovation and sets new industry benchmarks regarding miniaturization and performance.

For more information, please visit www.phonak.com