The virtual assistants that are changing our lives

The virtual assistants that are changing our lives

A virtual assistant is a Robot that responds to voice commands. It uses systems that learn through interactions with people, continually improving its repertoire. The more interaction, the better results. It provides solutions to the user, both business, day-to-day or functional for the home. To guarantee the operation of a virtual assistant within a house, the devices must have certain characteristics to connect with each other. Referring to the concept of the Internet of things .

What can a virtual assistant do?

This tool can perform various functions. Within the home, virtual assistants can ensure the security of your home with surveillance cameras or smart doorbells. They also allow you to control the lights and the temperature, know when the products you have in the fridge expire or play music. They can also wake you up, schedule your day or your washing machine, and even laugh at your jokes.

You can sing the shopping list to him so he writes it down and then reminds you, set reminders and sync your calendar to be notified of your next appointments. You can call someone through the assistant or send them audio notes, ask for restaurant recommendations, and ask what movies are playing this afternoon at the cinema. The functions of a virtual assistant are many and are continually growing. As you can see, the word “assistant” is perfectly chosen because they attend you at any time and in case of any doubt.

What are the virtual assistants of large companies?

Siri

It is probably the best known virtual assistant. It was born with the idea of ​​being an independent application within the company’s devices. Its fame came in 2011 when Apple incorporated it into its new iPhone that it was bringing to the market, the iPhone 4S. Siri powers its functions most related to the mobile phone and communication in general. For example, it allows you to make calls, video calls or send messages easily with your voice.

Initially it offered a very limited set of responses. They were basic questions and I was able to contact websites, but with a very small group. It allowed you to make a reservation at a restaurant or find ones in the area. Today these functions have changed. It can read your notifications, write emails or messages, write a post on your social networks or buy you a plane ticket.

Year after year the company has worked to improve the different functions that this virtual assistant presents. Apple is serious about improving and stabilizing its voice assistant. When it came onto the market, it was the only one, but today the competition is greater since large companies have developed their own virtual assistants.

 

Cortana

It is Microsoft ‘s virtual assistant . It is inseparably integrated into Windows 10 and is also available as a standalone app on iOS, Android and Xbox systems. Recently, the automobile groups Nissan and BMW have announced that they will incorporate this virtual assistant in their new generations of cars.

Cortana is very similar to Siri but has some advantages. One of the most outstanding is that it has a specific section in which it collects personal information. Sites that interest you, news that you like or even the hours in which you are busy. Then you can modify this information yourself and later the assistant will automatically present you with advice and some suggestion.

Another advantage of this voice assistant is that you can not only give voice commands. You can do it with the keyboard, so if you can’t use your voice in a certain situation, you can resort to writing.

GoogleNow

Google Now is Google ‘s smart assistant . It is different from the previous ones since on Android it is available within the Google Search application. It also has an iOS app accessible through Google Chrome.

Although we can think of Google Now as an extension of Google’s search capabilities, in practice it can carry out the same tasks as any virtual assistant. Also, if you allow it, Google Now will use your search history to personalize its answers . For example, if you ask what is happening in the world, it will show you news and articles of interest to you. One of the advantages of this virtual assistant is that it is within Google. The most used search portal in the world. Therefore, once you are inside the portal, it will be very useful to use it. One of the disadvantages it has is security flaws due to privacy issues. Google has a lot of user information.

improving and stabilizing its voice assistant. When it came onto the market, it was the only one, but today the competition is greater since large companies have developed their own virtual assistants.

Bixby

Bixby is the latest virtual assistant that has hit the market. It has been recently developed by Samsung . It is only available in the latest mobile versions of the company, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus.

The company wanted this virtual assistant to differ from those already on the market. Its fundamental principle is “that everything you can do by playing, you can do by speaking”. In this way, the assistant is able to rotate photos with your voice or apply a filter to them.

In addition, it can also carry out the rest of the functions of a virtual assistant, such as organizing your agenda, showing you suggestions or answering your questions. One of the disadvantages is that at the moment it can only be found in English and Korean.

Alexa

Alexa is Amazon ‘s virtual assistant . It has been developed with the aim of becoming an indispensable helper for the home. It is the first that has a physical format.

The device that hosts Alexa is something like a cylindrical speaker that has been called Amazon Echo. The main advantage is that it can be placed anywhere in the house, being able to answer questions and complete tasks Every time the device hears its name, Alexa will turn on and you can ask it to turn on the lights in a bedroom or to put washing machine running.

This virtual assistant is having a lot of success in the United States. There are many brands of household appliances, cars and other devices that have shown great interest. In fact, Alexa is expected to land in the mobile ecosystem at the hands of Huawei this year.

How do virtual assistants affect our lives?

At Syntonize we believe that this technology can really make a difference, as well as being a bridge that brings technology closer to people. This is the case of the virtual assistant that we have developed, Gerius, specifically aimed at elderly groups. This technology aims to make it easier for these people who usually have more difficulties using technology to do so in a more organic way through voice.
This wizard is not intended to be just a technological tool. Gerius is designed to be able to assist the elderly in emergency situations. In this way you can add numbers of emergency contacts and emergency services. At the same time, it pretends to be a companion, for those people who live alone.
In the business world virtual assistants are also used. Consumers have changed and with it their consumption habits. When a company strikes up a conversation with a customer today it is not the same as it was 5 or 10 years ago. The way of communicating has changed and companies are betting on this technology in their businesses. Why invest in virtual assistants? Chatbots are on the rise, and although they are not the same as assistants, they do have their similarities. This technology facilitates the work and management of companies, saving them time and paperwork. At Syntonize we are happy to advise you and create a chatbot that fits your needs.

At the moment it seems that they are all advantages, but we are getting used to calling a company and having a robot attend to us. In the end, everything is being digitized so much that sometimes the closeness of talking to a person is lost. This technology facilitates the work of companies, but to what extent is it good for users?

 

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