The general consensus amount IxDs is that voice command is a terrible control idiom. It is incomplete, lacks detail and requires extensive verbosity to outline a clear goal.
However, engineers and people who don't think hard about how voice command will actually work, seem to think it is the next best thing. Even if the computer were made less literal. Even if it inferred like a real person. There will still be a level of, "Oh, I'll just do it myself!" This is because that already exists with people. I hear it at work all the time. Either one party can't articulate his thoughts, or the other party can't understand a proper articulation. This won't get any better with computers, it can only get worse. Walking into a room and saying "Lights" or "Lights On" seems romantic and sci-fi. But in reality, a well placed light switch is better. And as much as you pretend it is lazy to speak rather than perform an action. Speaking takes more cognitive effort. This is why the clapper was successful. It could have been geared to, and I believe you can activate them with, any loud noise. That includes yelling "Lights". However, there are situations where being able to talk to a computer is good. Telephony is an example where good voice recognition will make automated phone systems easier to deal with. So long as they stop pretending to be people. Let them sound robotic. We expect it. Hell, we WANT it. And it is a bit creepy when they don't sound robotic. Digital companions, and video games, are situations where being able to understand language will provide more immersion and enjoyment. And there are situations where talk is the best option. A robot maid would be best controlled by voice. This is already how maids are controlled. And "clean the bathroom, and use the productA not productB." is all the control that is really needed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=36596 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [email protected] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
