The Dawn Of Voice Control

February 08, 2018

Voice control: the latest innovation in the evolution of smart homes. Chances are, you’ve come across one of the many digital assistants now popping up on the market; and it might not be long before you’re thinking of integrating one into your home. The rise of voice technology is only expected to dominate smart home product development for years to come.

So what’s new?

Well it’s another point of control. The average consumer may not be aware of the steps that we’ve taken to get to this point. But we in the industry have watched as home automation’s evolved from button control, touchscreen control, control through an app, automation control to voice control. Tentatively introduced through the likes of Siri, Google Assistant and Cortana, it’s only now that voice enabled products are starting to hit the mainstream.
 
My first encounter with voice control was when our family got our first Windows 95 enabled PC. At the time, my parents (who were both teachers) had purchased it to do report cards at home. My dad was pretty excited about being able to type with his voice via a new piece of software. Back then voice control was in its infancy and while revolutionary for its time, in retrospect, we’re quick to realize the product was far from mature. But it’s funny that 20 years later, I’m writing a blog about voice control finally arriving in a meaningful way.
Speech recognition isn’t new. But the way it has evolved into integrating with other forms of technology is.
Enter the technological marvel that is Alexa.
 
With their Alexa, tech titan Amazon has pushed to the forefront of the voice control space. The voice recognition capabilities of this family of devices is by far the best that I have encountered – and when combined with the power of a home automation system, things get really interesting.
 
In the Pure Image office, our primary control system is RTI – a mix of Residential/Commercial/Showroom/Office, our system is by no means a standard one. On one hand we want it to perform in a similar way to a home system – gaining insight into how our clients use theirs, and a better understanding of the value for them. On the other hand, we need it to function in a commercial capacity – with the ability to run demos on a variety of speakers, offer advanced security solutions, and cater to more users then your typical home environment. When a company called My Device released their Amazon Alexa driver, it presented an opportunity to integrate this with our existing RTI system and test out the true potential of voice activation.
Pure Image Vancouver's home theatre and smart home showroom
Pure Image’s Showroom Featuring An Integrated Sound System, Integrated Smart Home Sytem, and Home Theatre
 

Alexa & RTI: Efficiency meets convenience in voice control

We started off with the garage door. This was already set up and controlled by our RTI system. But by linking Amazon Alexa to the RTI, and integrating custom programming, I could open and close the garage door with my voice for the first time in my life! Building on from there, I added more “skills” (app-like technology to help Alexa perform different tasks), such as lighting scenes, music scenes and security. Before long, I’d configured a system whereby the key functions of the shop could be operated by my voice.
 
RTI’s ability to integrate with any of your home technologies, in tandem with its highly customizable functionality, makes a winning combination when paired with Alexa. Supplementing your RTI system with voice control of your projectors, lights, sound systems, and security, makes everything just that little bit easier.
 Alexa can make your home automation run more efficiently
 
Alexa’s proven to be a worthwhile assistant over the last few months. Here’s just a few reasons why:
  • Reliability: The integration between Alexa and RTI is very stable when supported by our robust local network. I rarely experience any technological glitches or down time.
  • Convenience: Hands-free technology continues to usher in a brand-new era of convenient living with a seamless, frictionless user experience. You no longer need to spend time hunting for the remote control, and you have the ability to make adjustments while your hands are full – a whole new level of simplicity.
  • Empowers you as the individual: The most natural form of communication – the human voice – has given us unimaginable power over our cutting edge technologies. While you need to use the same, specific commands to activate Alexa, you’ll find it’s only a matter of time before the commands become ingrained and voice control becomes a habit. Creating a cheat sheet of the command triggers helps!
  • Saves time: Gone are the days of having to launch an app, and hunt for the relevant button or switch. You can adapt your home setup simply, and quickly.
  • Key competent of home setup: Alexa has quickly become an irreplaceable addition to my automation setup. With an omnipresent Alexa in the office, I’ve found myself frustrated at the lack of Alexa at home. The convenience of voice control is hard to beat!
The appeal of hands-free, screen-free technology is gathering pace. Whatever the reasons – time-saving, convenience, device fatigue, or merely eager to adopt the latest technology trends in your home, voice activation is one of the most promising, and dynamic developments in the Internet of Things. With our experienced programmers, and customization based on your needs, we can integrate Alexa into your home automation system, so you can discover a whole new level of convenience. Visit our showroom at 1251 Homer St in Vancouver, or call us at 604-628-9491.
Drew Galvin
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