Beyond Voice: AI and Gesture Control
This is the fourth part in a series where we’ll discuss the user interface in the home and where it’s going. This series is based on the talk we gave at CEDIA 2016. You can watch the live talk here.
Artificial Intelligence
In terms of what’s beyond voice and beyond where we are now, the first topic to mention is artificial intelligence. We hear this term thrown around a lot. We see it in sci-fi movies and on TV. What does it actually mean?
AI, first of all, is a collection of different technologies that do different things. What it means to us is using big data, using sensors, and using learning algorithms so that the home is able to get smarter without being programmed. It also means creating Josh capable of interacting as a human would, be it with voice, gesture, or other natural interactions.
A great example would be if 100% of the time a user comes home after dark, she opens her garage and then turns on the lights in her kitchen. If Josh sees that she’s approaching home, he’ll open the garage and turn on the kitchen lights automatically. That can be learned by tracking and using big data, not pre-programmed.
In the near future we’re going to see AI really taking off, and I think with the coupling of AI with voice and other advanced technology, these technologies will combine to make the experience truly magical. AI is one of the things I’d be keeping a close eye on for the next couple years.
Gesture Control: Already Here
The next is gesture control, and it’s very common. If we’re having a conversation in person, I might say “turn that down it’s really loud” or “can you turn these up,” while pointing at a speaker. The thing about gesture though is it really does couple with voice. Gesture control is an AND technology, not an OR technology.
In fact, we’re already seeing gesture. Devices such as the Fibaro Swipe, Seven Hugs Smart Remote, and others are building some of these products. They’re already using really great sensors and cameras and different technologies to use gesture control and recognition.
Again, all these new technologies are a way for you to just remove the UI. You walk in, you point to something, it should activate, it should go on. And so it’s another technology that we really see emerging in the near term.
Continue to part 5 in the series as we dive into virtual reality and image recognition.
This was written by Alex Capecelatro, Co-Founder & CEO of Josh.ai. Previously, Alex was a research scientist for NASA, Sandia National Lab, and the NRL. Before that, Alex worked at Fisker Automotive and founded At The Pool and Yeti. Alex has an engineering degree from UCLA, lives in LA, and likes to tweet about AI, Startups, and Design.
Josh.ai is an artificial intelligence agent for your home. If you’re interested in learning more, visit us at https://josh.ai.
