Phi DM-Dialog: an experimental speech-to-speech dialog translation system

Phi DM-Dialog, one of the first experimental speech-to-speech systems and the first to demonstrate simultaneous interpretation possibilities, is described. An overview is given of the model behind Phi DM-Dialog. It consists of a memory network for representing various knowledge levels and markers for inferencing. The markers have rich information content. The integration of speech and natural language processing in Phi DM-Dialog and its cost-based scheme of ambiguity resolution are discussed. Its simultaneous interpretation capability, which is made possible by an incremental parsing and generation algorithm, is examined. Prototype system results are reported.>