How Sci-fi taught us to experience voice UI (Devfest DC)

Over a century of science fiction has created an expectation of how we interact with voice interfaces. This talk covers those expectations and what we can learn from them when building VUI for the future.

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2. Hello I’m Bryce Howitson (artist) You can find me on Twitter @howitson @Howitson #devfestdc
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8. Interface on Repeat CLI Text Based GUI Iconographic VUI Intent Based ??? Predictive? @Howitson #devfestdc
9. DANGER! Will Robinson @Howitson #devfestdc
10. The rules are, There ain’t no rules. @Howitson #devfestdc
11. I Learned everything I need to know about VUI from Science Fiction @Howitson #devfestdc
12. Blade Runner Ridley Scott
13. Star Wars George Lucas
14. The Matrix Trilogy Wachowski Brothers
15. 2001 A Space Odyssey Stanley Kubrick
16. History of the Future @Howitson #devfestdc
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20. Robots… Computer, AI, Assistant, Program, Sub-Routine, Host, Android, Machine… @Howitson #devfestdc
21. 3 Laws Safe How we’re taught to interface with Robots @Howitson #devfestdc
22. Look Human #1 @Howitson #devfestdc
23. Faces are comfortable @Howitson #devfestdc
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25. As the appearance of a robot is made more human, observers' emotional response to the robot becomes increasingly positive and empathetic, until it reaches a point beyond which the response quickly becomes strong revulsion. Uncanny Valley - Masahiro Mori @Howitson #devfestdc
26. Empathy & Trust Human Appearance @Howitson #devfestdc
27. Sound Human #2 @Howitson #devfestdc
28. Sarcasm equals intelligence @Howitson #devfestdc
29. Humor relaxes us @Howitson #devfestdc
30. Brevity builds trust @Howitson #devfestdc
31. We all talk baldlyer @Howitson #devfestdc
32. Act Human #3 @Howitson #devfestdc
33. Be emotional @Howitson #devfestdc
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35. Form a clan @Howitson #devfestdc
36. Make a contribution @Howitson #devfestdc
37. And a warning @Howitson #devfestdc
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40. Choose a side @Howitson #devfestdc
41. The art of being HUMAN @Howitson #devfestdc
42. Conversation As humans, we have @Howitson #devfestdc
43. It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much. Yogi Berra @Howitson #devfestdc
44. Please, … continue @Howitson #devfestdc
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46. Get what you need @Howitson #devfestdc
47. When would you like to travel? Vague and open ended What date would you like to leave? You’re going to get what you expect @Howitson #devfestdc
48. Suggest stuff As humans, we @Howitson #devfestdc
49. A. Bread Things that float in water: B. Apples C. Small Rocks D. A Duck @Howitson #devfestdc
50. if (weight = duck) { return madeOfWood } if(madeOfWood){ let a = “witch” } @Howitson #devfestdc
51. Discover As humans, we @Howitson #devfestdc
52. Is there a Doctor here? @Howitson #devfestdc
53. Options not walls @Howitson #devfestdc
54. Contextual As humans, we are @Howitson #devfestdc
55. @Howitson #devfestdc Words + Pictures
56. There he lay, a vast red-golden dragon, fast asleep; thrumming came from his jaws and nostrils, and wisps of smoke, but his fires were low in slumber. Beneath him, under all his limbs and his huge coiled tail, and about him on all sides stretching away across the unseen floors, lay countless piles of precious things, gold wrought and unwrought, gems and jewels, and silver red-stained in the ruddy light. Smaug lay, with wings folded like an immeasurable bat.
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62. Aware As humans, we are @Howitson #devfestdc
63. I have a whole bag of “shhhh!” with your name on it. @Howitson #devfestdc
64. Continued Conversation Follow-up Questions Recommendations Contextual Response/Display Know what’s Appropriate Quick Recap @Howitson #devfestdc
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66. Making Science Reality @Howitson #devfestdc
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71. Yay! A Demo @Howitson #devfestdc
72. Learning Google Google Cloud AI & ML https:/ /cloud.google.com/text-to-speech Actions on Google https:/ /developers.google.com/actions Amazon Alexa Skills Kit https:/ /developer.amazon.com/alexa-skills-kit Voice Tutorials http:/ /Alexa.design Podcasts The Voicebot Podcast Voice Tech Podcast The Practical Voice Podcast (VUX.World) @Howitson #devfestdc
73. Prototyping VoiceFlow Build fully functional apps Powerful interactions + Integrations (Visual) Multi-Modal Publish to Alexa Publish to Google Assistant @Howitson #devfestdc VUIX Preview Voice in browser Beginner friendly Publish to Alexa Publish to Google Assistant Botsociety - Messenger - Web App - Slack Bot - Google Assistant - Alexa - Twitter NPM Package & API
74. Choose your audience @Howitson #devfestdc
75. People behind the curtain @Howitson #devfestdc
76. Think low-fi @Howitson #devfestdc
77. 3 Laws of feeling human Looks (human) Faces are powerful, and we expect them for complete communication. Sounds (human) There’s a place & time for perfect grammar. This might not be it. Acts (human) Improve the clan by providing service, sharing emotion and building trust. in review @Howitson #devfestdc
78. Some tips to level up in review @Howitson #devfestdc Emulate People Extend communication by asking questions to continue conversations while utilizing the environment. Remember Analogue When prototyping remember that you already know how human interactions work. Don’t make it overly complicated. Maker Things The tools are more accessible than ever. What are you waiting for?
79. Thanks! Any questions? @Howitson #devfestdc