It was a busy week in the IVR sector. Here are some of the major stories from TMCnet.

KoolSpan has unveiled the TrustCall secure voice solution for the Android (News - Alert) platform. TrustCall is discreet, affordable and easy-to-install, according to KoolSpan. It is the first hardware-based solution in mobile security for Android devices. TrustCall employs the TrustChip, a removable flash memory card with secure digital technology.

It was also reported that a new device may reduce the chances of a patient returning to a hospital by almost 50 percent. The remote patient monitoring and care management program was implemented by Geisinger Health Plan, with technology provided by AMC Health. The remote monitoring, or tele-health technology, allows patients and healthcare professionals to be connected around the clock. The Geisinger Monitoring Program (GMP) uses interactive voice response (IVR) to Bluetooth-enabled scales from AMC Health that automate the collection of patients’ clinical information, allowing care managers to better follow up with at-risk patients for 30 days after being discharged from the hospital.

In another story, TMCnet’s Amanda Ciccatelli reports that with its award-winning ChoiceView “Communications-as-a-Service” technology platform, Radish Systems (News - Alert) improves the way organizations communicate with smart mobile device users. Strategic Products and Services (SPS), a global telecommunications technologies integrator, is offering Radish Systems ChoiceView as a contact center solution for mobile and enterprise communications.

Telesocial, a San Francisco-based cloud telephony service est. in 2008, launched its newest plug-in extension for developers, allowing for easy integration of in-game voice and calling features at no cost to the developer. The 3D telephone and voicemail system allows gamers to engage in group calls with other players, leave voice messages and engage in conference calls. The Telesocial 3D plug-in helps Unity developers turn the gaming experience into a social one.

Interactive voice response (IVR) relies on various technologies to make it an asset to the call center. The format used most often for IVR is VoiceXML, established in 1999. XML stands for extensible markup language, of which there are hundreds of variations in circulation today. IVR has been credited for not only saving companies money on live agents, but for dramatically reducing the amount of cost per call, increasing customer satisfaction, and helping to push a company’s brand.