The trend:
Speech recognition has come a long way since its creation. You get to see a voice enabled system every now and then however the technology has also received a lot of criticism. We can’t really decide yet if the technology is good enough or not as there is a lot more to see. The idea of talking to the machine while others watch and giggle is going to be past since more and more devices are incorporating this technology. Along with speech recognition other alternative input technologies like gesture recognition and RFID have also been successfully used in some gadgets. People find touching the screen easier than any of these.
Alternative input devices
The inspiration:
Some of these technologies have been used in smartphones and GPS systems successfully. Siri would shortly be coming into the market as a new voice controlled OS for iPhone. A working Siri has also received a lot of appreciation. People have always used voice commands on automated customer service systems, games and GPS etc. Soon it will no longer be bizarre to scream at your phone. The technology used at home is getting complicated every day hence alternative methods have to be developed to overcome this complexity. A voice command is as effective as pressing a few buttons or navigating into menu via touchscreen. It is effortless and fast which is the need of today’s fast paced world. All these factors are going to support sales of products with alternative input technology.
What makes them so special?
Voice recognition:
A lot of apps have been made for iPhone and android that could be operated with voice commands. Apart from this, designers have tried to come up with a lot of similar gadgets with dependent hardware. This technology can be used in HDTV’s to control programs since it has become very messy with lot of channels. This technology would very soon be appearing in gadgets widely. Voice recognition could also be used for security check systems.
Gesture Control:
Kinect was a huge success for Microsoft last year. It became the most popular gesture controlled device previous year. Gesture recognition can be used in several ways. They can be used to navigate interfaces with pointing fingers and hence could be used as virtual controllers. It is a great technology for remote control. It has already appeared in gaming industry in form of Kinect. Gestures can be recognized by using wired gloves, depth aware cameras and Stereo cameras.
Near Field Communication:
NFC enables two similar devices to interact when bought in contact or small distance of a few centimeters. This technology can be applied in several ways for example contactless transactions and data exchange. The protocol used in such communication is very similar to what RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) uses. This technology can also be applied in security check and access points. Demonstrative prototypes have been presented by a lot of innovators and designers.
Related Trends:
1. Siri
Siri is a smart app for iPhone that can act as a virtual assistant. The app can answer simple questions and make suggestions. The app first appeared in 2010 and the company has announced that they will be making the same app for blackberry and android phones too. Siri is now integrated with IOS 5.
Siri
2. Microsoft Kinect
Microsoft’s camera based gesture recognition made a great impact last year and continues to grow. It is a webcam like attachment that lets the user interact with the gaming console using gestures. The idea behind this device was to get a wider audience. Also the device holds a Guinness record for fastest selling consumer electronic with 8 million units sold in just 60 days after the release.
Kinect
3. Yale Door Locks
Yale is the most popular lock manufacturer in the world. Recently they came up with a door lock system that uses NFC technology in the smartphones. To open the door you just have to bring your smartphone is close proximity of the lock. The lock technology is also compatible with zigbee home automation system. This would help you import all the digital keys right into your smartphone. The product is expected to appear in the market very soon.
Yale door locks
What’s next?
1. Brainwave Technology
Brainwave technology is based on detecting waves generated in the brain according to the thought patterns. This technology could be developed as intuitive control. This means you could perform the function just by thinking of it. You might think this concept to be hypothetical right now, but research on brainwaves has already got an early breakthrough. Scientists have demonstrated a basic model which proves the central functionality of capturing brainwaves and decoding them. This technology would also be useful for patients suffering from paralysis.
Brainwave technology
2. Biometrics
Biometrics is a technology that enables an automated system to recognize a person based on physical traits or behavioral trait. Biometrics has the main application in access management and authentication. The technology is used in Walt Disney World to ensure that the person who bought the ticket is the same person using it. The physical traits include things like hand prints, hand geometry, iris and face. Behavioral traits are related to basic characteristics of men like voice, typing rhythm and way of walking.
Biometrics
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