This partnership will bring to market Kirusa's multimodal solutions voice enabled by Acapela multilingual high end text to speech , for services such as voice enabled search, multimodal messaging, SMS to voice or use of mobile applications in cars.

Edison, NJ, USA and Mons, Belgium, 06/20/2005 - Kirusa, the leading provider of multimodal platforms enabling wireless applications delivery and Acapela Group, the First European Speech Group, have signed a strategic reseller agreement reinforcing the partnership set up between the two companies in 2003 and already validated with applications such as Volkswagen’s prototype multimodal car manual application, winner of the Automechanika Innovation Award.

Acapela high quality text to speech will voice-enable Kirusa flagship product, Kirusa Multimodal Solution (KMS-IPV) which enables simultaneous multimodality on smart devices (based on Java, Symbian, MS Smartphone, Brew, PalmOS and PocketPC). With KMS-IPV, users have access to all the standard (visual) input and output mechanisms available on their mobile devices augmented with voice input, voice output and voice recording. The KMS-IPV can be used by ISV’s to create multimodal solutions, such as the Volkswagen application developed by 8hertz technologies and mentioned above.

Acapela text to speech will also give the say to Kirusa Voice SMS (KV.SMSSM), an easy to use application, based on the Kirusa Multimodal Solution, which allows mobile users to reply to SMS text messages by voice, to send an SMS message by voice, and to receive SMS messages with voice content, on all mobile devices, and on all wireless networks, greatly enhancing the reach of SMS messaging and voice messaging to a wider population of mobile users.

David Berkley, Chief Scientist of Kirusa, Inc, says “Excellent speech software, as provided by Acapela, is a critical technology component for delivery of multimodal interfaces for mobile applications. Multimodal applications, such as media search and voice SMS, combine vocal and visual capabilities simultaneously, to enable easy access and use of mobile data applications.”

To optimise user interactivity with mobile devices, Acapela speech enables the world in motion with very high quality and accurate speech, in 22 languages and up to 50 voices. Acapela text to speech actively contributes to invent a new way of working, sharing knowledge and simplifying everyday lives, simplifying access to information for users always on the move. Acapela text to speech answers to performance requirements and quality demands, voice-enlarging a world of information usually limited by a tiny screen.

“Multimodality is a key driver for widespread adoption of speech technologies in mobility environment. We are very happy to reinforce this long term and successful partnership set up in 2003 with an innovative player such as Kirusa. Their patent-pending multimodal platform combines the best functionality of both visual and voice interfaces and our partnership allows our companies to give the says to outstanding applications throughout the world” adds Antoine Kauffeisen, Director of Marketing of Acapela Group.

About Acapela Group
Entirely dedicated to developing and deploying natural language interfaces, Acapela Group is the European leader in speech solutions. Acapela’s speech technologies have already been deployed in many services and applications which speech enable numerous services: vocal portals, answering machine, contact centres, talking web, interactive games, edutainment softwares, e-learning programmes, tools to help disabled people, embarked navigation systems etc.
Acapela Group, major supplier of speech solutions in Europe, the Middle East and the Nordic markets, is very well known due to its numerous clients and partners in speech projects. These include: Alcatel, Alva, Atos Origin, Bo Jo Tveter, Bosch Blaupunkt, Daimler Chrysler, Franklin Electronic Publishers, Harman Becker, Intervoice, Magneti Marelli, Navteq, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Telia, Temic, Texas Instruments, Tieman, Toby Churchill, Scandis, Siemens, etc. http://www.acapela-group.com

About Kirusa
Kirusa, Inc. is a multimodal solutions company that has developed industry leading multimodal technology (with several patents pending) for the delivery of applications using multimodal interfaces. This next generation of wireless technology allows users to customize the presentation of information on wireless devices by either alternating, or simultaneously receiving information through visual and voice interfaces. Kirusa develops the unique Kirusa Voice SMS multimodal application, multimodal search applications, and supports third party developers of multimodal applications. Kirusa's customers include the worlds' leading telecom carriers and enterprises. Kirusa is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey and was founded by telecom and Internet industry veterans from AT&T, Lucent and Vodafone Airtouch. For more information about Kirusa please call its headquarters at +1 (732) 623-2118 or visit www.kirusa.com.

Media Contact:
Srilekha Pinnamaneni, Kirusa Inc, +1 732 623-2118, srilekha@kirusa.com
Caroline Houël, Acapela Group, +33 05 62 24 71 22, caroline.houel@acapela-group.com

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