IBM Next Generation Applications Activate SAP Director’s Keynote at SAP TechEd Conference
Web- and Speech Recognition-Enabled SAP* R/3* Demonstration Speaks to Future and Even Listens
SAP TechEd Developer, Los Angeles Convention Cente (August 31, 1998) – . When Robert Wenig, Director of Advanced Technology, SAP Labs, addresses attendees today more than people will be listening. A vending machine linked to SAP * R/3* will respond to his verbal commands thanks to IBM ViaVoice speech recognition technology implemented by IBM and SAP developers.
Mr. Wenig’s address will also include a web application demonstration developed by SAP and IBM using IBM, Lotus and NetObjects products. This application was published from NetObjects Fusion and incorporates Lotus eSuite components that process queries to SAP R/3 through SAP Employee Self Service* objects and IBM Component Broker technologies. The demonstrations, presented by a number of participating companies, were designed to exemplify that R/3 SAP technology is reaching out to the point where everyone will potentially be an R/3 SAP user.
Researchers and developers from IBM have been working at SAP Labs to jointly develop these next generation applications for SAP products in order to bring new benefits to their mutual customers. To complement this work, IBM Global Services personnel are learning the tools and techniques being used in order to go to market and deliver Web-enabled and speech-enabled solutions to clients.
“One of the goals of SAP is to reach out to the user community to the point where everyone can be an SAP user,” said Mr. Wenig. “The vending machine implementation provides and an example of how R/3 can be used in an embedded environment to deliver device information on a convenient, intuitive format. The use of IBM’s ViaVoice technology adds ability to make every telephone set a participant in this information network.”
“By bringing the best minds at IBM together with those at SAP, R/3 users will be better able to extend the reach to business partners and customers through a broad variety of emerging technologies,” Said Volker Loehr, IBM Global Alliance Executive for SAP. “IBM’s ViaVoice, VisualAge for Java, WebSphere, Component Broker and Lotus eSuite are examples that will draw R/3 customers closer to the fold of core business processes. It’s not only about cool technologies but also leveraging them in the service of business solutions.”
Source: IBM