Voice technology is nothing new. Bell Labs began experimenting with it as early as 1952 with its Audrey system. Yet because of numerous complexities, such as limited lexicons, difficulty distinguishing voices and/or accents, speed of translation, and high costs, the enthusiasm for and therefore development of voice applications waned. That is until Siri arrived, the magical friend in our pockets, ready to help us with all of our queries.
While Siri certainly has experienced growing pains, her voice, knowledge, and sense of humor are based on the ability to rapidly make sense of data in a way that makes her seem “real.”
