W/AGE: the Windsor Attribute Grammar Programming Environment

Abstract

Advances in speech-recognition and wireless-communication technology have generated a growing interest in hands-free, eyes-free, access to, and navigation between, remote data sources. Owing to the fact that conventional query languages such as SQL cannot be spoken, there is a need to develop natural-language processors to be used in conjunction with speech interfaces. Ideally, it should be possible for non-programmers to create their own speech-accessible natural-language applications that they can easily add to a SpeechWeb, in a similar manner to the creation of web pages using hunt. The W/AGE programming environment is a step towards this goal.