After years as working implementations, the Voice XML 2.0 (VXML) and Speech Recognition Grammar Specifications (SRGS) won the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) seal of approval Tuesday

The two new standards, called the Speech Interface Framework at the W3C, have ushered in a new era of Internet/voice applications, ranging from computer-generated information services like 555-1212 and Delta Airlines' ticketing to voice-activated dialing on Cingular Wireless telephones. The technologies tackle voice-to-Internet and vice versa using different methods: VXML lets users say "one" or "two" into the telephone, while the SRGS interprets "one" and "two" and lets the software application do its work. The technologies are robust enough to distinguish a person's individual accent or variations ("yes" or "yeah"). While work on Voice XML started back in 1994, the technology didn't get a mainstream boost until the creation of the Voice XML Forum, an industry initiative formed by IBM (Quote, Chart), AT&T (Quote, Chart), Lucent (Quote, Chart) and Motorola (Quote, Chart) in 1999 and comprised of more than 372 member companies today. Stewardship of the Voice XML technology was then passed to the W3C in 2001, and in 2002 the organization moved forward with making the technology a standard. Despite the widespread use of VXML and SRGS, the need for the adoption of a standard and compatibility with other vendors has always been necessary, said Brad Porter, a co-editor of VXML 2.0 and director of engineering at TellMe.