{"id":114099,"date":"2017-07-31T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-07-31T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dacgroup.com\/three-big-problems-see-voice-controlled-technology\/"},"modified":"2024-12-23T00:35:44","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T05:35:44","slug":"three-big-problems-see-voice-controlled-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dacgroup.com\/en-gb\/insights\/blog\/strategy\/three-big-problems-see-voice-controlled-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"The three big problems that we see with voice-controlled technology"},"content":{"rendered":"

Voice controlled-technology is changing computer-human interfaces in the home and across a broad spectrum of industries,\u00a0ranging from medical and banking through to business applications and industrial robotics. According to Mary Meeker\u2019s 2017 Internet Trends Report, 20% of mobile searches are now made with voice and 11m Amazon Echo devices have been installed within US homes. The advances that have been made within this space over the past 12 months are immense, and there\u2019s little doubt that voice assistants are here to stay. Over the next few years, the technology will become integral to our lives in ways that we can\u2019t begin to imagine, and by the time our children are adults, it\u2019s likely that text-based discovery will be long gone. But this certainty doesn\u2019t detract from three big issues that we see with voice controls, which the tech giants and businesses rapidly need to overcome…<\/p>\n

Human nature<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first issue has been on my mind for a while, and a recent article within Street Fight Mag entitled \u2018Voice Bots Have One Big Problem: Human Behaviour\u2019, confirmed the scale of the problem. While we might be happy to ask Google or Alexa \u201cwhat is the weather forecast for tomorrow?\u201d, \u201cfind a dentist near me\u201d or \u201csend a text message to Charlotte\u201d etc, other more personal queries such as \u201cwhere can I buy the morning after pill?\u201d or \u201chow do I treat Athlete\u2019s Foot?\u201d etc would prove problematic for the average person, particularly when out and about or within an office setting. Even within the security of your own home there will be searches that you won\u2019t want your children or partner to hear, and this is why text-based technology remains so strong. As the Street Fight article argues, \u201cthe social buffer that text interfaces provide allow even the shyest among us to write things we\u2019d never dream of saying.\u201d<\/p>\n

So how do we overcome this problem, for voice controlled technology to move forward? The sophistication of such technology will undoubtedly improve and particularly in its ability to understand natural language, but until there\u2019s a way to speak to a voice bot in a silent whisper and be clearly understood, human nature will opt for text-based search in many instances. While there are innovations like Hushme<\/a>, \u201ca personal acoustic device that protects speech privacy in open space environments\u201d, I don\u2019t imagine many would want to be seen wearing one in public.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The only realistic option is for the big smartphone and voice assistant companies to be focused on improving microphone technology, so that it can detect the tiniest whisper.<\/p>\n

Speech impairments<\/strong><\/p>\n

Voice systems have been built for standard speech, with not enough consideration for speech impairments or strong regional accents. To be accessible to all, it\u2019s critical the artificial intelligence software used is able to learn from speech that\u2019s not easily intelligible.<\/p>\n

A small amount of innovation within this space is happening. \u00a0For example, a Tel Aviv-based startup called\u00a0Voiceitt<\/a>\n

\n \n
\n
\n

\n Stay Forward <\/h2>\n

\n Get exclusive insights into digital
media's top-trending topics delivered
directly to your inbox. <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n \n