Voice XML: Chapter 6 Exercises

VoiceXML: Introduction to Developing
Speech Applications

6-1 See http://morph.ldc.upenn.edu/ltts/ for a Web site the enables users to compare several speech synthesis engines. This site also has an extensive list of TTS engines.

6-2 Audio formatting for Example 2.1.

A. Create a copy of the VoiceXML program you developed for Example 2.1.

B. Insert non-verbal sounds where you think appropriate.

C. Format the audio by appropriate chunking and pausing.

D. Conduct a user test using the audio formatted and non-audio formatted versions of Example 2.1. Are there significant changes in how the application measures against the benchmark?

<?xml version="1.0"?> <vxml version="2.0">  <form> <block> <audio src = "http://www.larson-tech.com/VoiceXML/Code/LIONROAR.WAV"/> <prompt> Ajax Travel <break size="small"/> make your travel reservations here </prompt> </block> <field name="UserName"> <prompt>Say your user name</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" src= "http://www.larson-tech.com/VoiceXML/Code/username.grxml"/> </field> <field name="telephone"> <prompt>Say your one digit telephone number</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" src= "http://www.larson-tech.com/VoiceXML/Code/telephoneNumber.grxml"/> </field> <filled> <goto next="#travel"/> </filled> </form> <menu id="travel"> <prompt> Do you want to travel by plane <break size="small"/> train <break size="small"/> or boat? </prompt> <choice next="#plane"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0"> <rule id = "by_plane" scope = "public"> <item> plane </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> <choice next="#train"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0"> <rule id = "by_train" scope = "public"> <item> train </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> <choice next="#boat"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0"> <rule id = "by_boat" scope = "public"> <item> boat </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> </menu> <form id = "plane"> <block> <prompt> You have selected to travel by plane <break size="small"/> Sorry <break size="small"/> it is not possible to make plane reservations today <break size="small"/> Goodbye </prompt> </block> </form> <form id = "train"> <block> <prompt> You have selected to travel by train <break size="small"/> Sorry <break size="small"/> it is not possible to make train reservations today <break size="small"/> Goodbye </prompt> </block> </form> <form id = "boat"> <block> <prompt> You have selected to travel by boat <break size="small"/> Sorry <break size="small"/> it is not possible to make boat reservations today <break size="small"/> Goodbye </prompt> </block> </form> </vxml>

6-3 Develop a training and help strategy for the VoiceXML application of Example 2.1.

A. Create a copy of the VoiceXML program you developed for Example 2.1.

B. Specify context specific help messages for each menu and form field

C. Specify error handlers for noresponse and nomatch events for each menu and form field.

D. Conduct a user test using the version without error handlers and the version with error handlers. Are there significant changes in how the application measures against its benchmark?

<?xml version="1.0"?> <vxml version="2.0">  <form> <block> <audio src = "http://www.larson-tech.com/VoiceXML/Code/LIONROAR.WAV"/> <prompt> Ajax Travel <break size="small"/> make your travel reservations here <break size="small"/> </prompt> </block> <field name="UserName"> <prompt>Say your user name</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" src= "http://www.larson-tech.com/VoiceXML/Code/username.grxml"/> <catch event = "help"> <prompt> Ajax travel has assigned you a user name <break size="small"/> In order for Ajax travel to access your account <break size="small"/> </prompt> </catch> <catch event = "noinput"> <prompt> Sorry <break size = "small"/> I did not hear you <break size="small"/> Please say your user name again </prompt> </catch> <catch event = "nomatch"> <prompt> Sorry <break size = "small"/> I did not understand you <break size="small"/> Please say your user name again </prompt> </catch> </field> <field name="telephone"> <prompt>Say the first digit of your telephone number</prompt> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" src= "http://www.larson-tech.com/VoiceXML/Code/telephoneNumber.grxml"/> <catch event = "help"> <prompt> In order to verify that you are <value expr="UserName"/> <break size="small"/> this system needs to know the first digit of your telephone number <break size="small"/> please say the first digit of your telephone number now </prompt> </catch> <catch event = "noinput"> <prompt> Sorry <break size = "small"/> I did not hear you <break size="small"/> Please say the first digit of your telephone number now </prompt> </catch> <catch event = "nomatch"> <prompt> Sorry <break size = "small"/> I did not understand you <break size="small"/> Please say the first digit of your telephone number again </prompt> </catch> </field> <filled> <goto next="#travel"/> </filled> </form> <menu id="travel"> <prompt> Do you want to travel by plane <break size="small"/> train <break size="small"/> or boat? </prompt> <choice next="#plane"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0"> <rule id = "by_plane" scope = "public"> <item> plane </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> <choice next="#train"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0"> <rule id = "by_train" scope = "public"> <item> train </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> <choice next="#boat"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0"> <rule id = "by_boat" scope = "public"> <item> boat </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> <catch event = "help"> <prompt> in order to rout your call appropriaty <break size="small"/> we need to know how you want to travel <break size="small"/> do you want to travel by plane <break size="small"/> train <break size="small"/> or boat? </prompt> </catch> <catch event = "noinput"> <prompt> Sorry <break size = "small"/>I did not hear you <break size="small"/> do you want to travel by plane <break size="small"/> train <break size="small"/> or boat? </prompt> </catch> <catch event = "nomatch"> <prompt> Sorry <break size = "small"/>I did not understand you <break size="small"/> do you want to travel by plane <break size="small"/> train <break size="small"/> or boat? </prompt> </catch> </menu> <form id = "plane"> <block> <prompt> You have selected to travel by plane <break size="small"/> Sorry <break size="small"/> it is not possible to make plane reservations today <break size="small"/> goodbye </prompt> </block> </form> <form id = "train"> <block> <prompt> You have selected to travel by train <break size="small"/> Sorry <break size="small"/> it is not possible to make train reservations today <break size="small"/> goodbye </prompt> </block> </form> <form id = "boat"> <block> <prompt> You have selected to travel by boat <break size="small"/> Sorry <break size="small"/> it is not possible to make boat reservations today <break size="small"/> goodbye </prompt> </block> </form> </vxml>

6-4 Suppose the caller has asked the question, "When do flights from Los Angeles arrive at London Heathrow? The flight arrival database returns the following table

Airline	Flight number	From	To	Arrival time	Gate
British Air	713	Los Angeles	London- Heathrow	8:47	G4
Air France	23	Los Angeles	London-Heathrow	10:03	G5
NorthWest	38	Los Angeles	London- Heathrow	10:14	S2
United	413	Los Angeles	London- Heathrow	10:23	G4
American	814	Los Angeles	London- Heathrow	11:03	G5

Keeping in mind the limitation of the human short-term memory, write a VoiceXML document that presents this information to the caller.

<?xml version="1.0"?> <vxml version="2.0">  <script> <![CDATA[ var airline = new Array() var flight_number = new Array() var from = new Array() var to = new Array() var arrival_time = new Array() var gate = new Array() airline[0] = "British Air"; airline[1] = "Air France"; airline[2] = "North West"; airline[3] = "United"; airline[4] = "American"; flight_number[0] = "713"; flight_number[1] = "23"; flight_number[2] = "38"; flight_number[3] = "413"; flight_number[4] = "814"; from[0] = "Los Angeles"; from[1] = "Los Angeles"; from[2] = "Los Angeles"; from[3] = "Los Angeles"; from[4] = "Los Angeles"; to[0] = "London Heathrow"; to[1] = "London Heathrow"; to[2] = "London Heathrow"; to[3] = "London Heathrow"; to[4] = "London Heathrow"; arrival_time[0] = "8:47"; arrival_time[1] = "10:03"; arrival_time[2] = "10:14"; arrival_time[3] = "10:23"; arrival_time[4] = "11:03"; gate[0] = "G4"; gate[1] = "G5"; gate[2] = "S2"; gate[3] = "G4"; gate[4] = "G5"; // set listindex var listindex = 0; var listlength = airline.length; //set current prompt as first list element var current_airline = airline[listindex]; var current_flight_number = flight_number[listindex]; var current_from = from[listindex]; var current_to = to[listindex]; var current_arrival_time = arrival_time[listindex]; var current_gate = gate[listindex]; ]]> </script> <form id="start"> <block> <prompt> Welcome to Portland Airport.</prompt> <prompt>You may say next, previous, or repeat. </prompt> <goto next="#navchoice"/> </block> </form> <menu id="navchoice"> <prompt> flight <value expr = "current_airline"/> <value expr = "current_flight_number"/> from <value expr = "current_from"/> to <value expr = "current_to"/> arriving <value expr = "current_arrival_time"/> at gate <value expr = "current_gate"/> </prompt> <choice next="#next"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0"> <rule id = "choose_next" scope = "public"> <item> next </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> <choice next="#previous"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0"> <rule id = "choose_previous" scope = "public"> <item> previous </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> <choice next="#navchoice"> <grammar type="application/grammar+xml" version="1.0"> <rule id = "choose_repreat" scope = "public"> <item> repeat </item> </rule> </grammar> </choice> </menu> <form id="previous"> <block> <script> <![CDATA[ if (listindex > 0) { listindex--; current_airline = airline[listindex]; current_flight_number = flight_number[listindex]; current_from = from[listindex]; current_to = to[listindex]; current_arrival_time = arrival_time[listindex]; current_gate = gate[listindex]; } else { listindex = listlength - 1; current_airline = airline[listlength - 1]; current_flight_number = flight_number[listlength-1]; current_from = from[listlength-1]; current_to = to[listlength-1]; current_arrival_time = arrival_time[listlength-1]; current_gate = gate[listlength-1]; } ]]> </script> <goto next="#navchoice"/> </block> </form> <form id="next"> <block> <script> <![CDATA[ listindex++; if (listindex < listlength) {current_airline = airline[listindex] current_flight_number = flight_number[listindex]; current_from = from[listindex]; current_to = to[listindex]; current_arrival_time = arrival_time[listindex]; current_gate = gate[listindex];} else { listindex = 0; current_airline = airline[listindex]; current_flight_number = flight_number[listindex]; current_from = from[listindex]; current_to = to[listindex]; current_arrival_time = arrival_time[listindex]; current_gate = gate[listindex]; } ]]> </script> <goto next="#navchoice"/> </block> </form> </vxml>

6-5 Improve the following prompt by revising the wording and inserting and tags which make the prompt easier for callers to understand:

<prompt> Welcome to Ajax Industries. This call may be monitored for quality control purposes. In this menu you will be asked to say the department with which you wish to speak. Accounting, sales, advertising, shipping, manufacturing? </prompt> <prompt> Welcome to <emphasis>Ajax Industries</emphasis> <break/> This call may be monitored for quality control purposes <break/> <emphasis>Which Department? </emphasis <break/> Accounting <break/> sales <break/> advertising <break/> shipping </break> manufacturing? </prompt>