The metal frame of their storm-chasing vehicle was twisted almost beyond recognition.

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It uses a vehicle-mounted camera, object-recognition software and satellite positioning to create detailed 3-D maps of roads, pinpointing features such as pot-holes.

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With the likes of Google, Nuance and Vlingo now offering mobile speech-recognition services for phones, and the development of entertainment systems and vehicle communication, such as Ford's Sync platform, Parakeet may be flying into a growing market.

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