Los Angeles-based Alelo , a USC spinout developing foreign language and culture training tools, said this week that it has opened an office in Suffolk, Virginia. Alelo's software uses computer gaming technology to help users learn languages and culture, and is being used by the military for training of troops being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as elsewhere in the world. READ MORE>> ...Tags: The firm said the new office was opened to better serve government customers interested in its products. The new center is in the Virginia Model and Simulation Center

Los Angeles-based Alelo , the USC spinout which is developing language learning systems based on video games, disclosed this week that the firm has been selected as a prime contractor by the U.S. Alelo said that it was selected by the U.S. Alelo said the contract covered its instructional design methodologies and tools, intelligent tutoring systems, game-based learning environments, Army. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), to provide its systems for foreign language and culture training.

Los Angeles-based Alelo, the USC spinout which is developing "serious" games to teach languages and cultures, has scored a contract with the Voice of America. Alelo said Wednesday afternoon that its wholly owned subsidiary, Alelo TLT LLC, has been contracted to develop an interactive, Web-based learning portal for learners of English as a second language. Alelo said the contract calls for using automated speech Financial impact of the win was not disclosed. The win opens a new market for Alelo, whose existing systems have been used for preparing the military for deployment

Los Angeles-based Alelo , which develops computer software that uses video games to teach language and culture training for Iraqi and other languages, reported late Friday that it has received a contract from the U.S. Alelo said that the contract covers a system for teaching foreign language and culture which runs on iPhone and iPod devices. Alelo's software--spun Department of Defense for a handheld training system. The system--called Uku--is being used by the Marines for supplementing the firm's Dari and Pashto language learning systems.

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Some of the more visible startups here in Southern California which are spinouts of the school are Language Weaver, Big Stage Entertainment, Pivotal Biosciences, and Alelo. The University of Southern California is reporting today that spinouts out of the school have raised $148m in the last two calendar years (2008-2009), and that there are now at least 24 USC spinouts currently in business. The school--which has been actively encouraging startup activity based on its research in recent years--said that 16 USC startups raised $148M, in a combination of new startup funding and additional

The Smart Action Company--which is headed by Richard Koffler, who has been involved in the Tech Coast Angels and most recently Alelo--said it is looking to provide sophisticated, automated interaction using artificial intelligence, targeting IVR calls that currently can only be handled by human agents. Playa del Rey-based The Smart Action Company is looking to apply artificial intelligence (AI) to the interactive voice response market, and has released a new producted focused on internative voice response, or IVR. IVR is typically used by companies to reduce their customer service costs,