Siri, an artificial intelligence-based voice-recognition startup has launched an iPhone application that is capable of receiving a request verbally. So it's more of a "Do Engine" than a search engine. The Siri application interprets the request, and hands it off to an appropriate web service. It displays the results onscreen also gives you a chance to correct or adjust your request via onscreen taps. It's the most sophisticated voice recognition to appear on a Smartphone till date.

Siri differs from other voice-recognition devices as it has 'cognitive software' which returns more targeted search results. Unlike other devices, Siri performs tasks like finding restaurants, movies, plane tickets or ATMs for the user. Siri is available for download in the iTunes App Store.

It requires an iPhone 3GS and a version compatible with the older iPhone 3G is in the works. Siri is building variations on a technology developed by nonprofit research-and-development company SRI International. SRI's contribution to the project was the Cognitive Assistant that Learns and Organizes which brought together language-processing functions with cognitive software, according to company materials.