TravellingWave and Zi Corp. are joining forces to launch a mobile speech-to-text and text prediction platform.

Multimodal mobile input technology provider TravellingWave and Zi Corp., a provider of mobile search, text input and advertising services, have signed a non-exclusive integration license. The deal effectively combines TravellingWave's VoicePredict speech-to-text software with Zi's eZiText and eZiType text-prediction products to let mobile phone consumers speak and type text messages more accurately.

"VoicePredict highly enhances the next-generation input method, primarily for mobile devices, but for other technology as well," said Ashwin Rao, CEO of TravellingWave, Seattle. "Zi has an advanced text-prediction model, and by integrating the two technologies, that's where the synergies come in.

"It's going to increase the client base for each partner," he said. "We're currently in trials with tier-one and tier-two carriers and OEMs, and we've gotten a very good response."

Zi recently announced multi-year agreements with handset makers Samsung, Nokia and Sony Ericsson.

TravellingWave's business model is licensing their technology platform to OEMs -- mobile device manufacturers -- based on volume. Zi has the identical business model for their text-prediction technology.

Mobile consumers typically tap onto a keypad or touch a soft-screen display.

Many consumers are familiar with text-prediction, wherein a list of choice words are displayed, based on the initial letters they type.

TravellingWave's VoicePredict input method combines this form of text-prediction simultaneously with speech recognition, which it claims results in a fast, easy and accurate text input for mobile devices.

The goal of the partnership is to enable VoicePredict to deliver greater value for texting and also open up new avenues for each company's customers with respect to mobile messaging, search, discovery and mobile advertising.

TravellingWave is an early-stage company that develops software using speech recognition technology for entering text into mobile devices.

The predictive speech-to-text technology combines traditional predictive text input with speech recognition.

TravellingWave has been partially supported by grant-awards from the National Science Foundation.

Zi is a provider of discovery and usability services for mobile search, input and advertising.

Zi's suite of products offers ways for mobile operators to showcase new services and content to their subscribers, while encouraging consumers to get the most out of their communication devices.

Increased device usage can help carriers drive additional revenues and lead to improved customer retention.

Zi products are featured on more than 1,000 handset models and have been implemented across most mobile technology platforms in the market today.

"This application is sitting there on top of everything, so it's compatible with any device," Mr. Rao said. "The text prediction comes from Zi, and we provide the additional choice to speak to speed up the text prediction process.

"To get additional information, you don't have to stop what you're doing and switch windows or input methods, because the microphone is always listening, you can speak while you're typing," he said.

"You can use traditional voice commands and control your handset without typing to insert symbols or phrases, contact names, emoticons and standard phrases."

TravellingWave claims that this voice platform delivers where others have failed.

"This could potentially revolutionize human-machine interface," Mr. Rao said. "Voice recognition is still falling short of claims, but this platform could really make a big change in the way we input information into devices moving forward."

TravellingWave said that its platform could be used to assist with mobile marketing and advertising campaigns.

"Anything that can increase your speed and make it easy to input text, there is a spin for marketing," Mr. Rao said. "If you use the benefits of voice, there are a lot of undiscovered areas, because it's a new way of interacting with the device.

"This could be just like SMS, which was a new form of communication that opened up mobile marketing," he said.