OneVideo Technology Corporation and Agile TV are developing speech-recognition products that will let viewers change channels with voice prompts like “search” and “find.”

The device would make it easier to order a movie or a car dealer’s brochure, eliminating the need to dial toll-free numbers or to scroll through menus on the television.

You just have to speak into a microphone placed on a remote control or on a set-top box. The products can recognize verbs like find, scan and record, topics like sports and movies, and the names of movie stars.

The scan feature finds, say, a comedy show, then a new comedy channel every three or four seconds until you pick one. Say “find football” and you can choose from a menu of games. “Go to sleep” will turn off the service.

Agile’s service, called Promptu (video), recognizes about 15 regional accents, and both systems claim to filter out extraneous noise.

Via The New York Times.