February 2021 ertonline.co.uk


Integration across the nation:


‘Voice control will be embedded in almost every IoT product’


By Alex Capecelatro CEDIA Board Member and CEO of Josh.ai


V


oice control has come a long way in the last couple of years, but it is still a very nascent technology. Similar to the Internet in the early 90’s, voice control is beginning to


change everything – but now, in early 2021, it’s far from perfect. This year, I expect we’ll see improved


microphone performance, improved accuracy of automatic speech recognition (ASR), and smarter natural language understanding (NLU) engines that result in voice control doing more of what you want. In addition, machine learning (ML) and neural


networks are allowing voice control to be contextual and informed. For example, when someone says “turn it up”, systems are getting smarter at understanding what “it” is, be it light brightness, music volume, temperature control etc. Finally, in 2021, I think we’ll continue to see


voice control embedded in almost every IoT product, from smart watches to smart microwave ovens and smart cameras.


Integration Data from Josh.ai clearly


suggests


lighting, shades, music, and TV related products get used the most with a well-integrated voice assistant today. This includes


streaming


content like Netflix and Spotify, human-centric lighting like Lutron’s Ketra, and motorised window coverings in both residential as well as commercial projects.


The overarching trend in the home we see is a


drive towards simplicity. Whether old or young, male or female, technical or not, people want to easily control their environments without fighting a complicated touchscreen or a physical remote with dozens of buttons. Voice control, when done right, makes the home incredibly simple. For example, you


could have a variety of devices on and all you have to do is say “turn off” and it’s that simple. This drive towards simplicity, in my opinion, will continue to propel voice control and AI technology forward. With COVID-19 causing so many of us to work


from home, we are seeing the rise of multi-use spaces, and with voice control and an integration environment you can transform these spaces with simple commands. One of my favourites is telling Josh to “start a meeting at 2pm” and that triggers a scheduled event where music will stop, lights will come on, shades will adjust, and the room


instantly gets ready for a Zoom call while Josh reminds me “it’s time for your meeting”. This is such a powerful transformation compared to where we were even just a year ago, and I’m excited to see the accelerated progression in 2021!


Demonstration This is such an experiential set of conditions; you have to see and feel it to believe it. Retailers are best equipped to create these environments. With a little work, you can create environments that transform in response to a single voice command


or button press. The goal should be to excite every emotion


through well considered actions. Show a natural rising scene with lights slowly fading on, the TV goes to a nice video of a sunrise, and melodic music surrounds you. Then transform the space to a dinner setting mode where the lights dim, shades drop halfway, some cool jazz comes on and the video displays build an ambiance. Showing how someone can truly live better, happier and healthier through technology is not only possible but should be a goal of every retailer interested in this space in 2021.


There will be more comment in next month’s issue of ERT when the Voice Control feature continues…


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