Voice recognition and talking machines

[Duke87 1,070]

...that's utterly creeped out by them.

Seriously. Talking computers... I can deal with, in some cases. The self check-out at the supermarket, for example, doesn't bother me. But a GPS that talks to give directions? That's creepy.

The difference, in my mind, is that the check-out is never going to say anything surprising. "Two.. ninety-nine". Okay, fine. "Please sign the singature pad, then press done to complete your transaction"... well, duh, I knew that. Point being, all the speech is purely informative and I still very much feel in control.

A navigational unit, on the other hand, gives directions. It tells you what to do. That's the key sticking point. The computer isn't just talking to you, it's giving you orders. Which is creepy because it dissonates with the perception of just who is the boss of whom. People are supposed to control computers. When a computer is granted some sense of authority over a person... it's unsettling.

It's even worse when it's using a celebrity voice. I can somewhat learn to associate a voice I don't otherwise recognize with the machine it comes from. But when it's a voice I already recognize from elsewhere... then it's scary. Because then I associate it with the person, and hearing something other than the person using the voice is absolutely spine tingling. It's as if the person's voice has been co-opted by the machine or something, and now it's become totally disembodied. You can hear them, but they're not actually there. Sorry, but I'd rather not hear Robin Williams talking unless it's actually Robin Williams talking.

The worst part, though, is when not only do computers talk to you... but you can talk to them. Really. Machines were ment to be controlled with buttons, switches, etc. Talking to a machine to tell it what to do? I mean, I understand that there's a practical use for that in cars since it lets you keep both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel...

...but the problem is that it's hard to talk to something without personifying it. Yes, the computer doesn't really "understand" you, but it responds as though it does. And the ability of a computer to recognize speech gives the illusion (albeit a false illusion) of it being able to think, and thus theoretically being able to disobey. Which makes it seem perfectly plausible that before you know it you're going to tell the computer to do something and it's going to say "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that." *shudder*

Any thoughts on this matter?

[Easy Bakes 253]

I want one with the C3PO voice.

That will go off on complaining tangents and not answer your question

[SomeRandomAmerican 5]

Imagine a GPS with Arnold Schwarzenegger as its voice...

But a lot of those computers have a legitimate purpose. Talking computers, for example, are excellent for use with people that have speech disabilities.

[blade2k5 1,523]

Originally posted by: Duke87

...that's utterly creeped out by them.

Seriously. Talking computers... I can deal with, in some cases. The self check-out at the supermarket, for example, doesn't bother me. But a GPS that talks to give directions? That's creepy.

The difference, in my mind, is that the check-out is never going to say anything surprising. "Two.. ninety-nine". Okay, fine. "Please sign the singature pad, then press done to complete your transaction"... well, duh, I knew that. Point being, all the speech is purely informative and I still very much feel in control.

A navigational unit, on the other hand, gives directions. It tells you what to do. That's the key sticking point. The computer isn't just talking to you, it's giving you orders. Which is creepy because it dissonates with the perception of just who is the boss of whom. People are supposed to control computers. When a computer is granted some sense of authority over a person... it's unsettling.

It's even worse when it's using a celebrity voice. I can somewhat learn to associate a voice I don't otherwise recognize with the machine it comes from. But when it's a voice I already recognize from elsewhere... then it's scary. Because then I associate it with the person, and hearing something other than the person using the voice is absolutely spine tingling. It's as if the person's voice has been co-opted by the machine or something, and now it's become totally disembodied. You can hear them, but they're not actually there. Sorry, but I'd rather not hear Robin Williams talking unless it's actually Robin Williams talking.

The worst part, though, is when not only do computers talk to you... but you can talk to them. Really. Machines were ment to be controlled with buttons, switches, etc. Talking to a machine to tell it what to do? I mean, I understand that there's a practical use for that in cars since it lets you keep both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel...

...but the problem is that it's hard to talk to something without personifying it. Yes, the computer doesn't really "understand" you, but it responds as though it does. And the ability of a computer to recognize speech gives the illusion (albeit a false illusion) of it being able to think, and thus theoretically being able to disobey. Which makes it seem perfectly plausible that before you know it you're going to tell the computer to do something and it's going to say "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that." *shudder*

Any thoughts on this matter?

quote>

Maybe the Cylons are closer to reality than we think

Seriuosly though, I don't find that creepy at all, just extremely annoying.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

For me as a person with low vision, I find this a blessing at times.

I prefer the voice of the late Majel Barrett who was the voice of the computer in most recent Star Trek the Next Generation series.

[Z77 3]

Originally posted by: blade2k5

Originally posted by: Duke87

...that's utterly creeped out by them. 

Seriously. Talking computers... I can deal with, in some cases. The self check-out at the supermarket, for example, doesn't bother me. But a GPS that talks to give directions? That's creepy. 

The difference, in my mind, is that the check-out is never going to say anything surprising. "Two.. ninety-nine". Okay, fine. "Please sign the singature pad, then press done to complete your transaction"... well, duh, I knew that. Point being, all the speech is purely informative and I still very much feel in control. 

A navigational unit, on the other hand, gives directions. It tells you what to do. That's the key sticking point. The computer isn't just talking to you, it's giving you orders. Which is creepy because it dissonates with the perception of just who is the boss of whom. People are supposed to control computers. When a computer is granted some sense of authority over a person... it's unsettling. 

It's even worse when it's using a celebrity voice. I can somewhat learn to associate a voice I don't otherwise recognize with the machine it comes from. But when it's a voice I already recognize from elsewhere... then it's scary. Because then I associate it with the person, and hearing something other than the person using the voice is absolutely spine tingling. It's as if the person's voice has been co-opted by the machine or something, and now it's become totally disembodied. You can hear them, but they're not actually there. Sorry, but I'd rather not hear Robin Williams talking unless it's actually Robin Williams talking. 

The worst part, though, is when not only do computers talk to you... but you can talk to them. Really. Machines were ment to be controlled with buttons, switches, etc. Talking to a machine to tell it what to do? I mean, I understand that there's a practical use for that in cars since it lets you keep both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel...

...but the problem is that it's hard to talk to something without personifying it. Yes, the computer doesn't really "understand" you, but it responds as though it does. And the ability of a computer to recognize speech gives the illusion (albeit a false illusion) of it being able to think, and thus theoretically being able to disobey. Which makes it seem perfectly plausible that before you know it you're going to tell the computer to do something and it's going to say "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that." *shudder*

Any thoughts on this matter?

quote>

Maybe the Cylons are closer to reality than we think

Seriuosly though, I don't find that creepy at all, just extremely annoying.

 

quote>

Hmm...wonder if the Cylons and the Daleks are going to come from their opposite sides of the universe and destroy the earth now....AAHHH!!!!!

Praise Directv for their over abundance of t.v. stations 

well, personally that gps voice i dont have a problem with. its that darn Microsoft Sam....p-r-e-s-s-E-n-t-e-r-n-o-w.....

[hamsterTK 93]

"Please scan your items, then place your items in the bag...Please show your ID to the customer service attendant. Do You have any coupons? Please Select a method of payment. Please swipe your card, then follow the instructions on the pin pad. Don't forget to take your reciept from the reciept printer. Please remoe your change from the change dispenser. Thank you for shopping at Krogers."

lol, I used to work there so I can hear that voice in my head

Also I forgot what it was but I was somewhere and there was some kind of device with a blinking red light, it reminded me of 2001. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave..." Me and my friends were cracking jokes all day.

[fukuda 351]

Reminds me of this

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: fukuda

Reminds me of thisquote>

whos Ned Ludd?

[MattShizzle 11]

Ned Ludd was a fictional character used in the "Luddite" movement. The Luddites, iirc, were an early 19th century group of artisans opposed to the use of machinery because it allowed nonskilled people to easily and cheaply do what they did for money. Nowadays "luddite" refers to anyone anti-technology.

back on topic - I hate those phone ones or really any non-human phone answering because often none of the choices are what you want.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: MattShizzle

Ned Ludd was a fictional character used in the "Luddite" movement. The Luddites, iirc, were an early 19th century group of artisans opposed to the use of machinery because it allowed nonskilled people to easily and cheaply do what they did for money. Nowadays "luddite" refers to anyone anti-technology.

back on topic - I hate those phone ones or really any non-human phone answering because often none of the choices are what you want.quote>

Those are specificaly  designed to discourage callers/complaints

[Explodingsims 3]

I don't have any real problem with the things. It is a bit creepy to hear your computer talk to you though.

I do hate just how LOUD those self-check out things are though. I don't need everyone in the store to know how much my bread costs.

[Jazzmaster 716]

Originally posted by: N_O_Body

For me as a person with low vision, I find this a blessing at times.

I prefer the voice of the late Majel Barrett who was the voice of the computer in most recent Star Trek the Next Generation series.

quote>

Indeed, it can be a real gift to those who have poor vision.  Companies aren't exactly making those buttons any larger.

To be honest it doesn't creep me out at all...it's just irritating to listen to the computer talking.  When I have to talk to IT though, I feel somewhat akward...like that iPod Shuffle with voice recognition.  Most of the time you have to speak loud and clear for these devices to hear you...and in a large crowd I don't wanna yell out "PAUSE" "SKIP" etc.   Or for that matter, in mid conversation...it's bad enough when someone starts talking and you think they're talking to you but look and see they have their blu-tooth headset, but:

oh sorry I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to my iPod.

 Yeah, that doesn't sound weird. at. all.

[sneakeypete 16]

Heh, you'd just love the thing that our telco has going on. voice recgonition phone support system. it can be rather annoying, but its not as bad as some make it out. The problem is the fact that you can't skip it. those of us who know that there's a more serious problem then unplugging router and restarting the PC will fix have to go through the entire bloody procedure before you get to speak to a person.

[MattShizzle 11]

Some people have a really hard time with getting that voice recognition software to understand them.

[Rymac91 15]

I don't find GPS units that creepy, mostly because if I know where I'm going or are very certain, I just don't give it a location to direct to, and I use it as a digital map. As for self checkouts, it doesn't bother me that much either, I do find voice reactive phone trees and messages to be a bit creepy, like what virgin mobile uses.

Though if you want really creepy, pair up Wolfram Alpha with a Text to Speech application.