Voice control is all the rage these days, but what most people don’t know is it’s been around for a long time. With the introduction of Alexa, Siri, Google Home and others, it’s definitely hit the main stream in recent years; But long before Alexa was a household name, I created a voice control prototype using a Cortana API.
Today, more so than ever, voice control software is needed in society. The ability to engage users, audiences, consumers, and to continue the drive of technology enriching our lives, has shifted; and non-touch innovations need to be considered. Voice control and voice recognition allows for touch free engagement, they allow for better hygiene in this new normal; and they also encourage accessibility-friendly interactions.
At Pufferfish, my job is to ensure everyone can have an unforgettable experience with our innovations. I always want my work to be unbiased, enjoyable for everyone (young and old), and I also want to ensure we always push the boundaries of interaction. See here a few takeaways on how I would see us utilising this voice control software with our global client base.
Enhancing Presentations
With voice control, it’s really effective in small groups or with individuals. This might seem obvious, but imagine a microphone trying to pick up the vocal queues of a whole group – you won’t be getting from the exercise what you need. So, we would look to enhance the potency of our software with the integration of voice control capabilities.
For example, a client could bring an intimate group of clients to a demo space, and rather than having to touch any technology, they could activate the presentation with a voice activation, like: ‘Hey Pufferfish, take me to slide one!’ The microphone in the PufferSphere® or PufferTouch® would pick it up, and the content would show on sphere in real time. This, coupled with the ability to tell the software to stop listening for commands, not only makes the Demo more socially engaging, it also ensures key areas of the Presentations, and of the meeting in general, are covered. If you set up 10 vocal queues, you know nothing will go unnoticed in the moment.
Mobile Technology Integration
Another way to integrate voice control with our technology, would be to send the commands over a network via a kiosk, external computer or mobile device. This would again help with personal hygiene, it could also be linked with takeaway materials and brand messaging, and could all be downloaded from a QR code on sphere, so you can gain measurable insights on those clients, customers, partners who have used the application.
It’s worth noting, while you might command the sphere to move or show certain content, it doesn’t have to answer back. Our API would allow it to respond in real time with or without vocal responses. So again, when considering demonstrations, presentations, meetings, and other outreach activities, there doesn’t need to be any vocal response.
Ultimately, when it comes to voice control software – we have the ability to tailor the experience to any client purpose, or need. Alongside our intuitive applications, it’s a great way to stimulate engagement and develop communications in a world where people are quite frankly nervous to engage right now.
For more information on Pufferfish innovations, and to learn more about how we can help you integrate voice control into your applications – get in touch with our expert team!