MATULICH, RICK Invention

San Diego, California. The idea for IntelaVoice™ came one night when Matulich was watching a rerun of the '60s television program "Star Trek." Dr. McCoy walked into a room and said, "Computer, lights." Matulich recognized that technology today could incorporate electronics that would make such commands a reality in everyday life. After years of research and testing, IntelaVoice™ is now available. Since time began, our world has been filled with sounds to which we respond. Now, VOS Systems has created the first artificial intelligence switch capable of responding to voice commands to turn on and off lights and small appliances. IntelaVoice™ is now available for consumers seeking the perfect device to facilitate convenience and safety. The speech-activated switch incorporates sophisticated electronics in a small, reliable and east-to-install device. IntelaVoice™ works simply by plugging the unit into a standard wall outlet and then connecting the item to be controlled into the IntelaVoice™. "IntelaVoice™'s benefits are far reaching. It's a simple-to-use home automation device offering hands-free assistance and security at home or in the office," said Rick Matulich, COO [Chief Operations Officer] of VOS Systems. "IntelaVoice™ is for anyone who has ever wished they could turn a light on when their hands were full or when they were stumbling down a dark hallway in the middle of the night."

IntelaVoice™ listens continuously for voice commands, automatically adjusting to ambient noise levels by using an eight-bit micro-controller combined with a sophisticated neural network to achieve a high level of speech recognition. The 4 1⁄4 by 2 1⁄2 by 1 3⁄4-unit is 98 percent accurate and weighs just seven ounces. The switch comes ready to use with four pre-set speaker commands to turn items on and off. The variety of commands enables an IntelaVoice™ to be reliably activated in the same room with numerous switches. The unit can be operated from distances as far away as 20 feet. IntelaVoice™ will work with any voice and comes with a preprogrammed vocabulary so no training is required. There are no dials or switches to adjust, and an optional external microphone is available for installations that require the switch be located behind large objects like couches.

"People often find themselves juggling several different tasks at one time. Voice-activated products such as IntelaVoice™ enable busy people a freedom they've never before experienced. IntelaVoice™ enhances lives by giving consumers tomorrow's technology today." IntelaVoice™e was named the 1998 "Best Consumer Product of the Year" from the American Voice Input/Output Society as the No. 1 technological product involving speech recognition.