Apple Expanding Boston-Based Research Team Working on Siri Speech Recognition

[MacRumors]

Last year, we highlighted a profile of Apple's Boston-area speech technology team speculated to be working on enhancements to Siri. The group's efforts appear to have been ramping up since that time, with a June report claiming Apple is seeking to eventually move away from the Nuance-powered system currently used for Siri.

Apple's team in Cambridge appears to still be growing, with BetaBoston reporting Apple has leased 13,000 square feet of new space to house the team.

Several commercial realtors tell me that the Cupertino company has leased more than half a floor at One Broadway, an MIT-owned building that also houses Facebook's small local team, several venture capital firms, and the Cambridge Innovation Center. The new office, about 13,000 square feet on one of the building's upper floors, is a major expansion for Apple, which currently has a small team on the building's fifth floor.

Earlier reports had noted Apple's recruitment of several former Nuance employees for the team, and BetaBoston reports Apple has recently added members from Amazon, research and development firm BBN Technologies, and data management firm Actifio.

Apple has reportedly not yet begin building out its new space in Cambridge, but it could house up to 65 employees once completed.

Article Link: Apple Expanding Boston-Based Research Team Working on Siri Speech Recognition

 

[Morgan Freeman]

Siri needs a lot of improvements.... in every way

 

[840quadra]

Oddly enough, Despite the 'inferior technology' I have better luck with Siri, and Apple's speech recognition than I do with other 3rd party applications, and Google's services. Maybe it's the way I try to sweet talk Siri.

 

[diddl14]

That's how many persons per language?

 

[javco]

With the Apple-IBM alliance SIRI could be powered by Watson

With the Apple-IBM alliance SIRI could be powered by Watson. http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/ibmwatson/ that will be awesome.

 

[tattooedyuppie]

Siri needs a lot of improvements.... in every way

Siri (and all dictation systems) will get better over time. I imagine the first TV sucked pretty bad. Patience...

 

[JonneyGee]

Here's hoping it won't mean Siri talks like someone from Boston…

 

[Gasu E.]

Thank goodness fuh that, Siri nevuh seems to have any idear of whut I'm tawkin about.

 

[Teste]

Too bad Siri is still an useless gimmick perpetually stuck in beta. I mean, having to access the internet to set a reminder on my phone? WTF?

 

[cesjr]

Even the most hardcore Apple fan must admit Siri's "voice" sounds like garbage compared to Google Now and Microsoft's Cortana. Hoping for improvements all around.

 

[DarkCole]

Am I the only one that doesn't have an issue with Siri? Sure it's not perfect all the time, but normally it's accurate for me. I use Siri regularly, and it's been a benefit to my productivity.

Of course the more work being done to Siri the better!

 

[carrrrrlos]

Siriously good news.

 

[Gasu E.]

Here's hoping it won't mean Siri talks like someone from Boston…

Could be worse, MR. NASHVILLE.

 

[840quadra]

Am I the only one that doesn't have an issue with Siri? Sure it's not perfect all the time, but normally it's accurate for me. I use Siri regularly, and it's been a benefit to my productivity.

Of course the more work being done to Siri the better!

I think it is a bit of a two way street. The more someone uses Siri, the better the system is at understanding you, as well as you are better at issuing commands it understands.

I believe this is also why I have little to no issues with it. I often use Siri via headset, Handsfree in the car, as well as straight from the phone (in quiet and loud areas) just fine.

 

[WebJester]

Wicked Awesome

Great. Now when I ask Siri for "a wicked awesome lobstah roll from tha noth-end," she'll deliver the goods.

For real, though. I have heard google now and Cortania's voices, and they didn't impress me much more than Siri's 2.0 voice. I do agree that they are more feature rich though.

 

[KdParker]

Am I the only one that doesn't have an issue with Siri? Sure it's not perfect all the time, but normally it's accurate for me. I use Siri regularly, and it's been a benefit to my productivity.

Of course the more work being done to Siri the better!

I don't have any isssues with it myself.

I must be in the way poeple expect Siri to work. Just like any voice recongnition software, you have to pronounce the keywords correctly and normally you are ok.

Now, will Siri get every little nuance and understand every detail of you life? Not yet but soon enough they will start acting like little assistants.
(Which could be a little scary.)

 

[ChrisCW11]

Really, nobody sees the irony in all this.

I wouldn't get anybody in Boston to work on speech recognition technology. That is probably why Siri can't understand what the rest of us are talking about.

"Siri, where can I find the best chowder?"

Siri: I'm sorry, but I cannot understand what you are saying.

"Where can I find really good chowder nearby?"

Siri: I'm sorry, I am still having trouble understanding you.

"WAH IS SOME WICKED CHOWDAH?"

Siri: Drive 2 blocks east and turn left, your destination will be on the right.

 

[Jakexb]

I keep hoping there's a secret Siri-Watson announcement tomorrow given that the tagline is "wish we could say more". Maybe they're being very literal in that they can't even hint at the things to come, but they tend to add puzzle-puns to the invitations. Nothing about watch/iphone/payments relates to "saying more" to me.

 

[crashdiet69]

haha reminds me of that scene from the heat "awe you, or awe you not, a nawk!" http://youtu.be/oT9YiqFRLQc

 

[Four oF NINE]

Siri could improve and should improve over time. Has anyone received a Siri update?

 

[taptic]

Siri needs a lot of improvements.... in every way

iOS 8 siri is pretty darn good...

 

[CrazyForApple]

Siri really needs to get better, does anybody even use Siri anymore?

 

[JPLC]

I'm from the Netherlands and there's still no Dutch support for Siri. Why? Hate to admit it but Google's voice works great. It understands Dutch and writes down almost everything I say.

Siri is out of date and a feature behind glass for a lot of users in smaller countries. Lets see where IBM brings Apple in this backlog of this function.

 

[3282868]

iOS 8 siri is pretty darn good...

agreed. for those of using iOS 8, it's been much better. consistent, reliable, faster, and "hey siri" is a great feature. a few ads bashing iOS 7 (ex. MS's Cortana) will have to be pulled as iOS 8 Siri has those missing features and more.

 

[Col4bin]

Here's hoping it won't mean Siri talks like someone from Boston…

Wicked pissa, kid! Went to the basement for a bahgin...Wait, wheeh's my cah pahked?

GO SAWWWX!

- - - - - -
Siri is pretty sorry and hurting for an update. Would love to see Apple dust her off, shine her up, and finally pull her out of beta. At this stage, Google Now (and maybe even Cortana) are destroying her.