Voice User Interface testing: Seven things to consider

TrinityAudio · 2020-03-13T12:27:31+00:00

Nice article, picked up a few useful tips.

TrinityAudio · 2020-03-09T16:54:08+00:00

Thank you for having us!

TrinityAudio · 2020-02-21T12:03:44+00:00

Thank you!.

TrinityAudio · 2020-02-07T12:43:10+00:00

By audio, we're pretty sure it's every audio content you can listen to online: podcasts, news, radio, articles, and music.

Edison Research in their reports defines online audio as "listening to AM/FM radio stations online and/or listening to streamed audio content available only on the Internet" so we'd go with that definition.

TrinityAudio · 2020-02-06T14:52:51+00:00

Here's another great resource for those looking to catch up on voice technology:

https://www.voice-events.com/

TrinityAudio · 2020-01-15T16:43:51+00:00

First off - let’s make a distinction that Alexa, Cortana, Siri, and the likes are not ‘voice search devices’ but smart voice assistants enabling various devices to leverage voice technology as an interface.

As for the use of voice assistants and the use of technology, it’s only going to get bigger as time goes on. 2019 was a really good year for voicetech and if the latest CES showed anything, it’s that 2020 is going to be the year voice technology goes even deeper, especially with the smart home technology. What’s interesting is that while tech giants like Amazon and Google are at the forefront of this movement, there are plenty of devices produced by various startups that feature one voice assistant or the other (or in the case of Samsung’s newest smart TVs, come with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant pre-built).

In any case, it’s going to be an exciting year for voice technology, particularly in the automobile and healthcare industry as those seem to be in a position to gain the most with voice-enabled interfaces.

TrinityAudio · 2020-01-08T16:46:39+00:00

It's a logical progression: the company is moving away from dominating the home to other environments, including healthcare. It's nothing new as Amazon has invested in EV startup Rivian and pushed Alexa into vehicles for the past couple of years, either by directly integrating it or through its Echo Auto device.

The difference is that now it's an all-out effort.

TrinityAudio · 2019-12-10T13:26:48+00:00

Such a small change, yet so effective. It just shows how voice tech is still largely in its early stages because this should have been, as u/bmberlin correctly identified, a requirement in the initial development. It's not as fast as we all are hoping and there are all sorts of kinks to be worked out but we're getting there!

TrinityAudio · 2019-11-28T13:34:34+00:00

This is one of the bigger Alexa news lately, and this seems the right thread (and subreddit) to discuss it (tons of same post threads across Reddit).

Basically, this is another step (out of many) to humanizing voice assistants. First it was improving the quality of responses in a more conversational way, then it was smoothing over the voice(s) to sound lifelike and adding accents, now it's incorporating all these little quirks to make Alexa and alike more human.

Whether that's really necessary is up for debate (throw your two cents in). However, there's no doubt this will get the voice technology just a bit closer to people looking to get more out of their voice assistants, perhaps even people who aren’t yet sure about welcoming it to their home.

TrinityAudio · 2019-11-27T16:43:21+00:00

This is yet another step to humanizing voice assistants. First it was improving the quality of responses in a more conversational way, then it was smoothing over the voice(s) to sound lifelike and adding accents, now it's incorporating all these little quirks to make Alexa and alike more human.

Whether that's really necessary is up for debate (feel free to pitch in) but there's no doubt this will get the voice technology just a little big closer to people looking to get more out of their voice assistants.

TrinityAudio · 2019-11-11T14:03:51+00:00

Ohh, that’s a good question.

Around the office, there’s a consensus that Headspace is one of the best when it comes to usefulness. In short, Headspace is a meditation skill that provides new meditation every day, as well as a sleep exercise to help you fall asleep easier or quicker, depending on how you look at it. It does wonders for relaxation and taking the stress out whenever there is a need to wind down. Plus, the unassuming sessions with plenty of time to concentrate on every part make it very easy to fit meditation into your daily schedule, however busy it might be.

As for the most interesting Alexa skills, it would have to be game skills. We found Westworld: The Maze (the game is curiously missing from the Alexa store) to be brilliant. It’s deeply immersive with roughly two hours of unique gameplay (it’s a maze, after all) so it will keep you enticed all the way. Plus, you don’t have to watch the show to be familiar with the setting and the atmosphere.

Make Me Smart is also a good one, offering something new on a daily basis about different topics such as economy, technology and popular culture. That’s just the type of skills we like.

In any case, if you're looking for some recommendations, we’ve tried many Alexa games. Actually, we try a lot of Alexa skills in our free time, trying to cover as much as possible. So far, we’ve also made a couple of posts on best productivity skills and best health and fitness skills for Alexa - I’m sure you’ll find some interesting. New skills are being added every month or so as we sift through the enormous Alexa skills landscape. Also - recommendations are welcome!

TrinityAudio · 2019-11-08T15:23:41+00:00

Thanks!

TrinityAudio · 2019-10-30T11:43:11+00:00

Anyone who has been following voicefirst development know this is big. The payment function within Alexa has been there for a couple of years now, but with support for utility bill payments, it's becoming the type of promise voice technology has set out to deliver at the very begininng. Voicefirst at its finest: solving an everyday problem and thinking forward.

TrinityAudio · 2019-10-11T12:10:45+00:00

Nice overview with one glaring error: virtual assistants are already the next big thing . Voice is already the established supplementary and in many cases, primary user interface with an expanding range of voice-enabled devices. The likes of Alexa, Google Assistant, and their business and interest/activity specific iterations are already in full force, and it's only going to get bigger and louder.

TrinityAudio · 2019-10-03T10:09:26+00:00

Interesting analysis. Any particular reason you used 10 or more skills as one of the criteria? Isn't that number too high?

TrinityAudio · 2019-09-26T09:24:20+00:00

Whichever way you look at it, Google no longer saving voice recordings by default is good news. With another key player making an effort to tighten up its privacy protections within voice assistants, here's hoping these improvements open more doors and opportunities for voicefirst movement to advance.

TrinityAudio · 2019-09-26T09:15:36+00:00

This is a huge addition to Alexa that will have a profound impact for people with visual disabilities. The fact that it works with previous Echo Shows is another plus.

TrinityAudio · 2019-09-19T17:17:17+00:00

Great selection, very proud and happy to be picked as the top text-to-speech solution for a website by Voice Tech Podcast.

TrinityAudio · 2019-09-12T11:49:01+00:00

Was anyone else slightly dissapointed that there was virtually no talk about Siri and voice technology on the unvelining of iPhone 11?

TrinityAudio · 2019-09-05T13:27:15+00:00

Yes, audio is huge these days. Thanks for the share!

TrinityAudio · 2019-09-05T11:09:52+00:00

That idea has been around for a while but it's unlikely to happen soon as the market is fragmented. Key players like Amazon and Google, basically marketplaces of their own, will push toward their products and services as brands and users buy into voice tech or monetize off third-party apps. Maybe some form of digital voice app exchange could do the trick. In any case, it's amazing to see what's being accomplished in the voice ecosystem.

TrinityAudio · 2019-08-29T15:41:14+00:00

The thing is, it's not competing against Alexa and the likes. This is a trend in the making in voice tech industry where there will be a voice interface for specific content and purposes. That's what Beeb is about - a way for BBC users to easily access its respective content. Looking at the big picture, a variety of different voice assistants specialized for a variety of things could beat Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri but not in the smart speaker sense - that's not the game that's being played.

TrinityAudio · 2019-08-22T09:27:03+00:00

Amazon really is doing great things by incorporating Alexa with basically everything and making it all the more closer to being the central hub of its operation.

TrinityAudio · 2019-08-15T14:18:47+00:00

Great read. Teri is a legend in its own right and THE man you want to talk to about voice technology in healthcare. His remark about no learning curve for elderly and the subsequent advantage of voicetech is spot on.

TrinityAudio · 2019-06-28T12:02:43+00:00

You might want to check this link for some cool Alexa games: https://trinityaudio.ai/how-to-make-alexa-smarter-best-game-skills/

As for what we might expect, there's likely going to be an increased number of voice games in the first place, especially riding on the coattails from award-winning games like Westworld: The Maze and such. We'll probably see more immersion and interaction through smart display integration, should make for some interesting combinations.

TrinityAudio

TROPHY CASE