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Weekly Lists
June 1, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 24
bne:TMT Czech speech
recognition company Phonexia to expand on back of artificial neuron network software
Russian, Chinese investors contemplate cryptocoin mining in Transnistria
Czech company Phonexia plans substantial growth thanks to its new speech recognition software Deep Embeddings, the world's first to use only an artificial neuron network, business daily E15 reported.
Phonexia, based in the Czech tech-hub Brno, introduced Deep Embeddings in late March. The software uses a self-learning mechanism to identify voices and should, therefore, be quicker and more reliable than existing technology.
The older software is used in the commercial sector and by law- enforcement agencies. One important customer is the forensic laboratory of the Federal Criminal Police Office in Germany.
The company was started by six scientists in 2006. It is providing its services in more than 60 countries worldwide.
Chinese investors visited the Moldovan separatist republic of Transnistria in May to evaluate plans for developing mining farms related to blockchain technology, deschide.md reported. Russian investors announced similar plans last September.
Such businesses would have major political implications, providing the separatists with resources at a time when the central authorities in Chisinau helped by Ukraine are isolating the rebel unrecognised territory.
Cryptocurrency mining is a validation of transactions by adding transaction records to Bitcoin's public ledger of past transactions or blockchain, rewarded in cryptocurrency. It might be profitable in Transnistria due to the “very low” electricity price in the region, deschide.md commented.
Russian internet services major Yandex presented smart speaker and voice assistant device Yandex.Station (Yandex.Stanciya) at the Yet An- other Conference. The device is able to recognise sounds, turn on the music, connect to the TV and perform tasks requested by the users.
The retail price of the device that will hit the markets this summer will be RUB9,990 ($159). Yandex.Station will sell together with free six-months subscription to Yandex.Podpiska on-line service package.
Reports that Yandex is developing an AI-driven smart speaker and assistant have been circulating since summer 2017. Most recently the company launched voice assistant Alisa, analogous to Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, and Google Home assistants.
Yandex unveils Yandex. Station smart speaker