Voice enabling XML, Part 1: Develop a voice-enabled RSS reader


I have a new series of articles available, this time on using and consuming VoiceXML. VoiceXML is a hugely simplified method of using and working with voice-interactive services, just like those that you might use when calling your bank or other service. They’ve always sounded difficult to develop for, until I found VoiceXML and services like those offered by Voxeo. The first article in the series looks at developing a very simple RSS interface. Want to pick up your news by calling a phone line and listening to the headlines picked up direct from an RSS Feed? This is exactly what I show you in this article. From the intro:

RSS is a hot topic these days, as it provides an easy way to stream data online. This article, the first of a four-part series on developing VoiceXML applications, shows you how to develop a voice-enabled RSS reader. The input to the application is RSS data, and the output is VoiceXML that can be read and spoken by your favorite compatible voice application.

Anyone interested in taking advantage of the many uses of a voice-enabled RSS reader will benefit from reading this article. You will also learn about VoiceXML basics and the RSS XML format, in addition to:

  • Translating RSS to VXML using XSLT
  • Writing a Perl script to generate the VXML
  • Adding interactivity to your VXML file
  • Generating VXML using Java servlets

Read Voice enabling XML, Part 1: Develop a voice-enabled RSS reader