It is when Apple introduced Siri as part of the iPhone when Voice assistants became much of a popular trend. After that, there are some companies that followed. Amazon introduced Alexa and it was followed by Google Assistant.
Samsung also introduced their own version which they called Bixby and there was also Microsoft and their very own Cortana. Since then, a lot of people have shown interest in Voice AI.
In 2019, it has been recorded that 111.8 million people in the US alone are making use of voice assistants. This trend has reached eMarketing and it has provided a log of opportunities for marketers not only to reach their customers but also to understand the needs of the people.
What is Voice Recognition Technology?
When we talk about voice recognition, we are referring to the machine or program’s ability to receive and to interpret spoken commands. By simply speaking, voice recognition systems can interact with customers. There is no need for hand requests as the task is understood by the voice AI.
This technology has originated on PCs but it became popular and was accepted in the consumer space where mobile devices and other home products become involved. When Smartphones became popular, voice recognition also became a thing in-home devices. Google Home and Amazon Echo can now be accessed with the use of home devices. With this, the technology has become available in the kitchens, living rooms and basically everywhere.
The demand for voice recognition technology is continually growing and a lot of people are interacting with it. This is why companies have considered a lot of improvements including the increase in the capability and in the accuracy of the use of the voice recognition products.
History of Voice Recognition Technology
It has been recorded that the first speech recognition system does not use words but numbers. The “Audrey” system recognized digits that are read aloud. This is designed by Bell Laboratories in 1952. After 10 years, “Shoebox” was introduced by IBM.
This system can understand and respond to 16 English words. From then until the end of 1960s, people have already developed a technology that can support words. And by 1970, there was another introduction made by Bell Laboratories and this time, the system is better as it understands multiple voices.
In the 1980s, the “Hidden Markov Model” (HMM) was introduced. It is a statistical method that recognizes sound patterns instead of words. And by 1990, fast processors and personal computers made it possible for software such as the Dragon Dictate to be used. The accuracy of speech recognition technology has already become a bit more sophisticated by the year 2001.
It was 2011 when Apple decided to launch Siri. This is the same as Google’s Voice Search. This decade became the golden time for voice recognition apps. Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home became widely used.
How does Voice Recognition Work?
There is a difference between voice and speech recognition. Voice recognition works in a more sophisticated and personalized way. It is able to identify and authenticate the speaker. It works in such a way that it analyzes the patterns and other elements of a person’s voice. With this, it will be able to identify if the caller is an individual.
Voice recognition has taken a step further as compared to speech recognition. While speech recognition recognizes the words, voice recognition ensures that it is only your voice that is recognized.
This way, the commands will be done according to your own advantage. For example, whenever you unlock your home, your voice is the only one that can be recognized. This way, your safety is ensured.
Types of Voice Recognition Systems:
There are two types of voice recognition, text-dependent and text-independent. Here are the differences:
- Text-Dependent
This is the type of voice recognition system that depends on the text that the person speaks. For this type of system, step-up authentication and identity verification are required. User enrollment is required and for it to be activated, the speaker must say the required phrase.
- Text Independent
On the other hand, text-independent voice recognition technology does not depend on a specific text. It relies only on conversational speech. The authentication does not require speaker identification using a set number or phrase.
Advantages of Voice Recognition Technology
Businesses need to understand that voice recognition technology is already the trend. There are different benefits that they will be able to get from it when they include this to their own strategies. Here are the different advantages of voice recognition technology:
- Reach Elusive Prospects
Today, the market consists of Millennial and Generation Z. With this, every business has to look into the characteristics of their prospect market to be able to sell. Members of these generations are considered as digital experts. Voice recognition technology is certainly a hit for them.
- Generate Personal Conversations
Every customer would appreciate a personal conversation. This is the best way on how they can easily present their needs without any difficulty. These personal conversations can be generated using voice AI. It will make people and prospect customers feel that they are given priority. This is good for business as it provides a connection between the company and the individuals.
- Reach Multiple Users at Once
Unlike call centres where the individuals can only talk to one person at a time, voice AI is something that can be more efficient. With voice recognition technology, it is now easier to reach different users all at once. This is something that makes it easier for businesses to increase the number of their customers and deal with multiple concerns.
Voice recognition technology is continuously improving. As time passes by, it is becoming more and more sophisticated. Companies are not stopping in exploring different ways on how to improve it. In the next years, it will certainly grow bigger and most businesses will certainly depend on it for their marketing.
