OKI and Recruit to Jointly Develop Next Generation "Laddering Search Service"
Adopted in 'Information Grand Voyage Project' by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry
Tokyo, Japan, September 27, 2007 -- Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (TSE: 6703) today announced that it will begin the development of a next generation laddering search service with Recruit Co, Ltd. This is a service that enables systems to throw out questions to Internet users who are searching, and extract keywords and expressions from them. With this additional information the system pulls out the services and content that meet the real user-need from the vast amount of content on the Internet. This service was adopted as the model service for next generation searching and analysis technology for Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's (METI) "2007 Information Grand Voyage Project."
"During this fiscal year ending March 2008, we will develop the laddering search platform with Recruit and test its application at employment agencies with people seeking new jobs. As we are selected by METI's 'Information Grand Voyage Project,' we aim to position this laddering search service as Japan's next-generation search service," said Yuichiro Hiranuma, President of Ubiquitous Service Platform Company at Oki Electric Industry. "By establishing the foundation technology to discover, link and provide various sophisticated services, OKI aims to create new service-oriented businesses that enable users and service providers to connect globally."
It has become common to search needed services and content using the Internet, but it has been difficult to find exactly what one is looking for as various services are described in different ways using various words. By employing the laddering method, OKI and Recruit will enable the system to ask questions to users and extract keywords and expressions that users probably would not have been able to express on their own. The service then, efficiently finds the matching services and content from a vast amount of services and contents.
OKI will develop the laddering dialogue engine that matches the search target by communicating with the user via text. To tackle this project, OKI will leverage its broad experience in technologies in natural language processing, communication, technical term extraction, and machine learning. Recruit, as the professional in laddering method, will decide and design the laddering methods for the service as applied in the job change and real estate domains.
Laddering search service can be used in a number of areas, such as where there is a gap in knowledge and needs between users and service/content providers (i.e.: sites for shopping, financial products, travel planning, government, medical, healthcare, broadcasting, and movies) In the future, OKI plans to launch a business to link service and content providers to potential uses globally. Helping users find the content and services they require also helps service and content providers increase efficiency in offering their services to various appropriate users.
The prototype of this service will be exhibited at the "Information Grand Voyage Project" booth at CEATEC JAPAN 2007 (from October 2, 2007 - October 6), which will be held at Makuhari Messe in Japan,
About Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1881, Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. is Japan's first telecommunications manufacturer, with its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. OKI provides top-quality products, technologies and solutions to its customers through its info-telecom system business, semiconductor business and printer business. All three businesses function as a collective force to create exciting new products and technologies that satisfy a spectrum of customer needs in various markets. Visit OKI's global web site at http://www.oki.com/.
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