I held a conversation with my teenage self using an AI chatbot. — I held a conversation with my teenage self using an AI chatbot. It wasn’t filled with angst, as one might assume. In fact, it was quite riveting, despite some awkward pauses and fumbles. Drawing from journals I kept over 5 years (ages 16–21), I recreated a fascinating experiment by Michelle…

When “don’t make me think” doesn’t apply. — We live with the world at our fingertips. It’s easy to forget that the internet’s ability to connect people from virtually anywhere was science fiction only decades ago. While the luxury of instant interaction via social media is relatively new, how people interact with…

Compelling use cases for voice first experiences — Since the debut of the Amazon Echo in 2014, smart speakers have revolutionized the way consumers use voice applications in their daily lives. As of early last year, nearly 90 million people in the United States alone use a smart speaker. Voice assistants are now found in our phones and…

Your home is becoming a better listener — “Go to sleep!” you yell from across the room. The lights turn off, curtains lower, door locks, all instantly without moving a finger. Welcome to your smart home. The devices in our homes, cars and offices play a significant role in our daily routines. As IoT technology gains popularity, voice…

Artificial intelligence preserves endangered languages. — Language as we know it originated approximately 100,000 years ago as our species began to flourish. What began as gestures and grunts evolved into what you are reading today. Many of the world’s nearly 7,000 languages are categorized into one of the six major language families spread across the globe…

The marvels of emotion-detection technology — Emotion is central to the human condition. During conversation, we detect emotion through tone, body language or facial expressions. Using emotion, our voice delivers content and, more importantly, context, to every interaction. Sentiment analysis is a technique that processes language to identify subjective information in conversation. For example, attitudes or…

Educating people on what voice devices mean for their privacy — “But what if it’s always listening to me?” is an all too common question asked about voice technology. For those in the voice industry, it may become exhausting to hear this from consumers skeptical of voice assistants and smart devices. With the addition of visual interfaces to this technology on…

Considering the economics of design improves user experience — Economics is frequently associated with business, finance or politics. Design may conjure thoughts of art and aesthetics. As a designer with an economics background, I’ve noticed that few people associate the two fields with each other. However, there is immense opportunity to combine design principles with economic theory to create…

Hi, I’m calling to follow up on your last appointment. But first, can you please tell me your full name, address, and date of birth? I heard this daily introduction back when I worked as an analyst at a call center alongside nurses treating patients with chronic kidney disease…