This document discusses voice applications and the state of voice technology. It describes what voice applications are and provides examples. It then discusses the history of voice technology, from proprietary systems pre-2000 to today's converged voice and data networks. The next steps are predicted to include further decentralization, open architectures, federation, and multi-modal integration. The document also introduces Adhearsion, a Ruby-based framework for building voice applications, which provides a simple API and flexibility in hosting.

1. Telephony Through
Ruby Colored Lenses
Ben Klang
@bklang

3. Why Voice Applications

4. Why Voice Applications
What is a Voice Application

5. Why Voice Applications
What is a Voice Application
Voice Application Examples

6. Why Voice Applications
What is a Voice Application
Voice Application Examples
Adhearsion: The Ruby Lens

7. State of Voice Technology:
The Dark Ages

8. State of Voice Technology:
The Dark Ages
< AD 2000

9. The Dark Ages: < AD 2000
TDM PBX
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannyman/320310144/

10. The Dark Ages: < AD 2000
Proprietary
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannyman/320310144/

11. The Dark Ages: < AD 2000
Proprietary
$$$
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannyman/320310144/

12. The Dark Ages: < AD 2000
Islands of Functionality

13. The Dark Ages: < AD 2000
Minimal/Non-Existent API

14. The Dark Ages: < AD 2000
Limited Management Tools

15. The Dark Ages: < AD 2000
Limited Management Tools
Automation? What Automation?

16. The Dark Ages: < AD 2000
Limited Management Tools
Automation? What Automation?

17. State of Voice Technology:
The Last Ten Years

18. The Last Ten Years
Emergence of VoIP

19. The Last Ten Years
Emergence of VoIP

20. The Last Ten Years
Emergence of VoIP

21. The Last Ten Years
Emergence of VoIP

22. The Last Ten Years
Smarter Endpoints

23. The Last Ten Years
Smarter Endpoints

24. The Last Ten Years
Smarter Endpoints

25. The Last Ten Years
Smarter Endpoints

26. The Last Ten Years
Convergence

27. The Last Ten Years
Convergence
Instant Messaging - Presence

28. The Last Ten Years
Beginnings of
Truly Unified
Communications

29. State of Voice Technology:
The Next Ten Years
Other than going
mobile, the end-
user experience has
not changed much
since 1950s or even
1920s

30. The Next Ten Years
Further Decentralization
Skype largest
international carrier
by minutes

31. The Next Ten Years
Open Architecture
Fewer Telco APIs,
more Web APIS

32. The Next Ten Years
Federation

33. The Next Ten Years
Multi-Modal Integration

34. The Next Ten Years
Multi-Modal Integration
Voice - Text - Video - Presence

35. The Next Ten Years
Collaboration

36. The Next Ten Years
Collaboration
Desktops - Documents

37. The Next Ten Years

38. The Next Ten Years
Now
is an exciting time
to be working with Voice

39. What is a Voice Application?

40. A Voice Application...
Interacts with Audio Stream

41. A Voice Application...
Interacts with Audio Stream

42. A Voice Application...
Interacts with Audio Stream

43. A Voice Application...
Integrates Communication
Channels
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32277674@N08/3697187859/

44. A Voice Application...
Goes Beyond a Phone Call

45. Voice Application Examples

46. Voice Application Examples
Live
Translation
Service

47. Voice Application Examples
Automated Reminder Calls

48. Voice Application Examples
Automated Reminder Calls

49. Voice Application Examples
Automated Reminder Calls

50. Voice Application Examples
Automated Reminder Calls

51. Voice Application Examples
Mid-Call Assistive Services
http://books.google.com.br/books?id=ekYEAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=7+july+1948+life+magazine&source=bl&ots=nV3HS1HwEk&sig=iHzNtgI-gJ7bnlAoEUX0q4BBZn4&hl=pt-
BR&sa=X&ei=32k_UKXeEumx0AHaoYGYAg&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=7%20july%201948%20life%20magazine&f=false

52. Voice Application Examples
CRM Integration

53. Polling & Surveys

54. Voice Application Examples
Over-the-Top Services

56. But wait...

57. But wait...
telephony is HARD right??
Photo by Joseph A. Carr from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JT_Switchboard_770x540.jpg

58. Code Sample (comfort zone)
Don’t Panic

59. Code Sample (comfort zone)
Don’t Panic

60. Code Sample (comfort zone)
Don’t Panic

61. The Ruby Lens

62. Adhearsion: The Ruby Approach
Voice Application
Framework

63. Adhearsion: The Ruby Approach

64. Adhearsion: The Ruby Approach
Hosting flexibility
(VM, PaaS, anywhere)

65. Adhearsion: The Ruby Approach
Many integration points
DRb
ActiveRecord
Rails
XMPP

66. Adhearsion: The Ruby Approach
Platform Agnostic

67. Adhearsion: The Ruby Approach
Just Ruby

68. Adhearsion: The Ruby Approach
Simple, Extensible API

69. Adhearsion: The Ruby Approach
Get Started
ahn create
ahn generate controller foo
rake config:show
cd rubyhoedown2012
take

70. Adhearsion: The Ruby Approach
Get Connected
adhearsion.com
github.com/adhearsion/adhearsion

71. adhearsionconf.com

72. Thanks! Questions?
Ben Klang
@bklang