Signal Winter 2020 Newsletter

www.alliancecom.net 9 Prepare for an Even Smarter Future Smart homes may still seem futuristic, but the capabilities we have now are just the beginning. TechRadar invites readers to “picture a huge TV screen that turns into a wall, art or something else entirely with a simple gesture.”Here are some more cool things to look forward to: More voice commands. Using your voice as an input method is likely to increase faster than the use of touchscreens and keyboards. Gestures. In addition to voice commands, future smart speak- ers may be able to detect gestures, such as swiping, that enable richer human-tech communication. More natural conversations. Valid voice commands for smart devices are likely to become more conversational and natural sounding. Better personalities. You might have noticed that smart speaker responses are a little … stiff. Future versions of voice assistants will be able to recognize context and even display human emotion. Robot bodies that more around. The next evolution of a smart speaker could be a robotic pet that can learn more about you, improving its helpfulness. Personalized experience. Smart speakers will get better at rec- ognizing different human voices and customizing information they share based on who’s asking. Proactive experience. Rather than always having to ask your smart speaker to do something, it will anticipate your needs and offer actions to you. Better security. Smart speaker manufacturers will find ways to make things like automatically paying for items or services more secure. Extraordinary sound quality. High-end smart speakers like the Amazon Echo Studio are already being developed specifically to offer the best musical experience. More games. The popularity of audio games will continue to grow as developers find new ways to integrate them with existing digital games, movies, or books. Source: https://www.techradar.com/news/alexa-what-will-you-be-able-to-do-in-2030 QUICK TIP: Surprise someone on their birthday by giving your speaker a greeting to read when you issue a certain command. Ready for Your First Robopet? Voice commands have become more commonplace with a variety of devices, so talking to a robotic dog or cat, known as robopets, may not feel all that strange. Some of these devices are furry critters that exhibit typical animal behaviors like looking at you when you speak, walking around the house, coming when you call, and even doing tricks. Others are plas- tic, but still entertaining, with the ability to play games with you. If you want to buy a robopet, choose if you want it to be plastic or more realistic looking. Check for touch sensors, which make the pet respond when, for example, you scratch it behind the ears. Also consider its sound and video sensors to know whether it can respond to commands or recognize your face. Finally, if you want to “train” your robopet, make sure it includes artificial intelligence, which enables it to learn.