From research and development between the

Notice: 2009 Microsoft technology section is about to be unveiled next week

Hailed as the "computer research area feast" Microsoft technology section is a Microsoft Research annual maximum of activities whose main purpose is to let Microsoft Product Department can direct contact with all the latest technology, providing the technology to facilitate the transformation of the product.

If Microsoft's continuing innovation based on its research and development (R & D) focus, then the annual Microsoft technology section (TechFest) is the research and development between the "and" ("&"). At Microsoft Research Asia, there are a number of successful research results into products for example, let us look forward to this year's technology section of the event before, take a look at the Research Institute of technology strategy Director Dr. Zhang Yi Zhao, recalls his way to the research and development of the story:

At Microsoft Research Asia established eight months, I took his wife and his family came to Beijing started on my research career of a turning point; in 2003, the fifth anniversary of the Institute, I came to the Institute of ATC homepage, incubate in a new environment in the past have not previously dabbled in Microsoft product development type work; in 2008, the Institute will celebrate its tenth anniversary birthday, I returned it, continue to enjoy in the course of the study.

Reports for gates

In July 1999, when he joined Microsoft Research Asia, one of my main job is to set up voice group research team, 2000 we recruited a group of initial sensitivity to voice, revived the recruitment Seide were Frank, they both joined the Alliance soon bring up the whole group in speech synthesis and study of voice search.

TTS (Text to Speech, hereinafter referred to as TTS) voice group one of the important items at the beginning-researcher is responsible for, and Mr Patten, Mr. Hu, Sheng Zhao, Yang Hong, cloud, Wang, young colleagues go, quickly making a Chinese speech synthesis system. It is also for this project, so I went through a three-year "BillGReview" (report to the gates).

In 2001, the Institute of the first year to the gates on the Chinese speech synthesis technology, voice of nature and smooth feeling and compared with traditional technologies to progress a lot.

Gates after listening to the reported feeling everything good, but he shook his head is very sorry to say: "Unfortunately, I do not understand Chinese. "Therefore, gates on this cannot give out specific views, but he still suggest that we can do the other language, in October 2003, EPIC's Vista projects like our research and development of speech synthesis engines in English, and wishes to convert into Vista. At that time was set up, so the ATC homepage speech synthesis project has become the formed engineering initially one of seven projects. Therefore, the Research Institute of engineering and research and development team together to Gates collectively done a report on a project. When Bill Gates was informed us of this project is planning to do in Microsoft's next generation operating system, he eagerly interest up development process schedules, visible he technology how-to-market is at an early date.

With the TTS in Vista system ground flowering, Dr. led the voice FrankSoong as smoother voice synthesis technology and hard at the same time a stable TTS development team also the growth of the curiosity and gradually grow, only four or five person project team today has evolved into more than 20 people, engaged in a subject other than English, in German, French, Spain, Italy, and other 20 kinds of language development of speech synthesis systems, mainly focused on server-side application of voice interaction.

Let us feel gratified that TTS technology whether it be from the original algorithm model design, prototype system in place, or to the subsequent product transformation and now larger in server-side applications, voice synthesis technology research and development, are spontaneous Beijing research and development team, this proves China team's creativity and collaboration.

Gates said, Microsoft Research's biggest mission is to enable future computers will be able to see, listen, learn, and be able to use natural language to communicate with humans.

In fact, these 10 years, we are around the vision research, also launched a yielded results, but still far from reaching the level of artificial intelligence, research is a long-term process, there needs to be explored, and continuously expand the possibility of extension. At the beginning of the project from TTS-2000 to join the Institute started officially with the end of 2006, from the original Vista release of Chinese speech synthesis, next to English, and then later of bilingual synthesis, has undergone a long process of exploration, exploration and adhere to vote on long-term patient.

Engineering of charm

As the last one time to the gates do reporting ended, my professional role also from a purely researchers to a project manager, at the end of 2003, I had a time span as carp waterfall, ATC homepage, Vice President position make me rethink another professional's charm.

Zhang said that research is a proliferation of meteorological open, thinking, and the cause of project is an ongoing qucuqujing until you find something to do so.

This is the research and engineering are embodied in two different perspectives. Research and engineering study to two mutually dependent, in order to achieve the project into an ideal, and engineering practice also cannot be separated from the rest of the Guide, this is like Tai Chi in China, although the project needs to have a bias, but not too, so there are no new ideas and newCreate perfection itself. They have good between PROFS is indeed a great challenge.

Neither the research or project, establish clear indicators of inspire your team a very effective way.

If in the field of research, we may use the international high standards of quality and quantity of papers, technical conversion of important areas to stimulate academic researchers, and would like to create in the engineering field, we are even more through its participation in the number of new feature development and the contribution of new product announcements, etc. to measure the value of an engineer.

In addition to the encouragement, how errors and failures in the lessons are in research and engineering are often faced with a problem, because in both, the defeat is too unusual but of everyday business.

As a researcher or an engineer, in my opinion, establish long is very important to the ideas, which can avoid momentary failure. Downs of youth, from the time it is a very small change, so you want a calm approach, in order to adapt to unforeseen challenges.

From me personally, "remain optimistic, pessimistic ready" mentality that is my work encouraged and consolation of a very practical approach.

Everything you want to give yourself a confidence and power, but we have to do to face the possibility of failure.

Authors:

Zhang Yi Chao, PhD graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of technology computer.

In July 1999, Microsoft Research Asia, joining fellow voice group, engaged in natural language understanding aspects of research. After ATC homepage as Vice President, leading the team to participate in the development of the WindowsMobile and Windows Vista products. In June 2008 and return to Microsoft Research Asia served as Director of technology strategy. He was the company's Research Department NuanceCommunications co-founder, is also in the telecommunications field study in natural language interface. Prior to this, he also worked at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Research Center Toshiba ULSI, Institute for United States General Electric as research work. He has been to "GOU, new, new, and every day new" to motivate their everyday life.

Related stories:

2008 Microsoft technology section is

2007 Microsoft technology section wonderful