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Most Bluetooth headsets are perfectly capable of the voice dial, assuming that the connected cellular phone can do it, but the BlueAnt V1 takes voice control to a new high. The incredibly compact Bluetooth headset is being marketed as the first ever with a true voice-based user interface. The BlueAnt V1, first voice-controlled Bluetooth headset will be unveiled based on Sensory Inc.’s Blue Genie Voice Interface.

Instead of clicking a physical button to answer your calls, you simply speak into the microphone and say “accept call”. Other basic voice commands could include “volume up”, “reject call”, or “do the laundry”. Handsfree experience like that offered by the BlueAnt V1 can be excellent for drivers and other people who need their hands to be used while talk on the phone.

The BlueAnt V1 is also incredibly small, measuring just 41mm x 17.5mm x 11.2mm (1.6″ x .7″ x .5″) and weighing only 11g (.4oz). This small headset comes with a charger with a flip-out car adapter, and can also be charged via a standard miniUSB port.

The BlueAnt V1 has an estimated 6 hours of talk time. Pricing and availability are currently unannounced.

Check the press release below that will be released on Monday, 07 at the CES 2008 show to find more details about the new Sensory Technology and the BlueAnt V1.

Sensory, Inc., the leader in speech technologies for consumer products, today announced that BlueAnt, a leading manufacturer of Bluetooth peripherals, will use Sensory’s BlueGenie Voice Interface to deliver the BlueAnt V1, the first ever Bluetooth headset with a true voice user interface (VUI). The BlueGenie Voice Interface software suite enables manufacturers of Bluetooth products to integrate full voice control and synthetic speech output without the need for visual displays or complex user interfacing.

Users of the BlueAnt V1 will no longer deal with lengthy or confusing button pressing to access functionality. Instead, the VI can be controlled with simple phrases like “pair headset,” “call home,” “volume up” and “accept call.” When it comes to checking headset status it will not be necessary to interpret confusing beep sequences or LEDs. BlueGenie’s voice synthesis capability enables the V1 to speak back to the consumer, letting them know device settings including successful pairing of the headset, battery power level, etc.

“Improved safety functions and increased user friendliness have been strongly desired by Bluetooth headset customers,” said Taisen Maddern, CEO of BlueAnt. “With Sensory’s BlueGenie Voice Interface, we are bringing them what they have been waiting for with the ability to easily control their headset through voice providing a sleek and simplistic user interface unlike any other on the market.”

By eliminating the need to add buttons or displays, a voice user interface frees designers to pack functionality onto small form factor Bluetooth devices and answers consumer demand for a truly hands-free experience. For example, voice dial and call answering capabilities mean drivers can keep their hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road. With added functionality, the headset market is poised to experience greater product differentiation which until now has been limited primarily to aesthetics.

“We are proud to partner with BlueAnt to bring the BlueGenie Voice Interface to the V1 headset,” said Todd Mozer, CEO of Sensory. “A voice user interface is completely natural to Bluetooth headsets which have little room for other means of input and output such as a keyboard or LCD.”

In September, Sensory announced the BlueGenie Voice Interface for CSR’s BlueCore-5-Multimedia silicon making it the first speech recognition software to be integrated on a Bluetooth chip.

About Sensory, Inc.

Sensory, Inc. is the leader in speech technologies for consumer products. Sensory is a profitable private company offering a complete line of IC and software-only solutions for speech recognition, speech synthesis, speaker verification, music synthesis and more. The company’s products are widely deployed in consumer electronics applications including telephones, home automation, toys, remote controls, automotive, security, and learning aids. Sensory’s customers represent the leaders in consumer electronics, including such companies as Hasbro, JVC, Kenwood, Mattel, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Uniden and Sony. Sensory, Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, with additional offices in Portland, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Vienna. Visit www.sensoryinc.com for more information.

About BlueAnt Wireless

BlueAnt Wireless is a leading supplier of Bluetooth peripheral devices worldwide. BlueAnt’s product portfolio includes hands-free, stereo audio streaming and wireless communication products offering cutting-edge technology, design and features. With its Global Head Office in Melbourne, Australia, BlueAnt has offices in San Francisco and London.