DAYTON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2003--BAI Retail Delivery Booth # 2132
NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR) today announced a global agreement with ScanSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq:SSFT) to embed ScanSoft's RealSpeak Solo(TM) text-to-speech (TTS) engine within NCR's APTRA(TM) Edge and APTRA(TM) Advance NDC self-service software. The agreement provides the tools for financial institutions to improve automated teller machine (ATM) access for visually impaired banking customers.
By incorporating ScanSoft's RealSpeak Solo TTS engine within its ATM units, NCR ATMs can deliver a higher quality of access and service to visually impaired and blind users. Using RealSpeak Solo, NCR ATMs can seamlessly convert dynamic text into natural-sounding speech. By simply inserting personal headphones into the ATM audio jack and swiping a bank card, users can conduct individual financial transactions and have on-screen displays, such as account balance, account fund transfers and other personal information, read back to them in a pleasant and easy-to-understand synthetic voice.
"NCR's APTRA is the leading multivendor ATM software solution in the industry today. The use of RealSpeak Solo, is another reason why our customers get so much value from APTRA," said Andrew Orent, vice president of NCR's Financial Solutions Division, Americas region. "Our partnership with ScanSoft enables us to provide the most natural-sounding TTS solution on the market today. APTRA's robust, proven capabilities are being used by more than 70 percent of all multivendor projects worldwide."
NCR's APTRA software solutions, APTRA Edge and APTRA Advance NDC, are the industry's leading advanced self-service applications. APTRA Edge and APTRA Advance NDC are based on the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) platform, and enable ATM deployers to deliver an outstanding set of self-service capabilities to their customers. Available in multiple languages, ScanSoft's RealSpeak Solo TTS engine converts textual information into speech that closely resembles a natural-sounding human voice.
"ScanSoft has a long history of working with financial services institutions and companies and organizations to provide assistive technology for new products. We are pleased we can combine this expertise to create a compelling user interface so that visually impaired users can reap the benefits of self-service banking," said Alan Schwartz, general manager of Embedded Speech Solutions at ScanSoft.
About ScanSoft, Inc.
ScanSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq:SSFT) is the leading supplier of speech and imaging solutions that are used to automate a wide range of manual processes - saving time, increasing worker productivity and improving customer service. For more information regarding ScanSoft products and technologies, please visit www.ScanSoft.com.
About NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR) is a leading global technology company helping businesses build stronger relationships with their customers. NCR's ATMs, retail systems, Teradata(R) data warehouses and IT services provide Relationship Technology(TM) solutions that maximize the value of customer interactions. Based in Dayton, Ohio, NCR (www.ncr.com) employs approximately 29,300 people worldwide.
NCR and Teradata are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries. ScanSoft, the ScanSoft logo and RealSpeak Solo are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other company or product names may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
CONTACT: NCR Corporation
Lorraine Russell, 937-445-3784
lorraine.russell@ncr.com
or
Marie Ruzzo
ScanSoft, Inc., 617-428-4444
marie.ruzzo@scansoft.com
SOURCE: NCR Corporation