Designing for Voice feat. Nathan Stratton of Vocinity

 

Businesses are turning to digital assistants and chatbots to scale communications. But chatbots and digital assistants don’t necessarily replicate a human experience or provide a good experience in all cases. However, new voice and video interfaces are bridging the gap.

On this latest episode of Haptic Feedback, Jamie Young, Director of Product Design with Shockoe, spoke with Nathan Stratton, Founder and CTO of Vocinity, a company committed to providing conversational voice and video interfaces for businesses. Together they tackle how innovation and advancement in voice-video interfaces is driving fascinating use cases for businesses looking to automate interactions through voice.

Stratton got the idea for Vocinity, his sixth startup, after calling Amazon to route a package. “I expected to be greeted by Alexa and that they would be using conversational natural language voice interfaces.”

After researching the space, Stratton found that these voice interfaces were few and far between in business contexts. Thus, Vocinity began in the call verification space. “It was very high call volume, so we took millions of calls. It was a good stress test.”

The organization then pivoted toward voice and video, creating voice and video avatars. Vocinity now works predominantly in the retail and healthcare industries.

“One example is our work with an exercise bike manufacture. Because of COVID, they needed to answer questions about the product, so we built a bot to interact with customers.”

Stratton also spoke about improving the bots and avoiding uncanny valley. “That’s a term that means that the closer you get to human-like, the more a mind picks up that it isn’t real. We countered that by getting past the robotic sound and movement using human actors in pre-recorded video. Their mouth positioning changes to fit the words.”

While Stratton expresses that there are still challenges around improving models, Vocinity continues to innovate on their technology, with the goal of someday developing lifelike models. These may be closer than you think!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

grid expansion
Voices of ChargeExpo 2024: Lilypad EV Unites Grid Expansion with EV Charging for a Better User Experience
March 27, 2024

At ChargeExpo 2024, a pivotal discussion unfolded, shedding light on the integral relationship between grid expansion and the future of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. As electric vehicles continue to surge in popularity, the spotlight has turned to the supporting infrastructure, underscoring a critical challenge: the need for significant grid expansion to accommodate the […]

Read More
advanced battery technologies
Empowering a Greener Tomorrow: The Urgent Need for Enhanced Safety Protocols in the Electric Vehicles and Advanced Battery Technologies Sector
March 26, 2024

As the world gravitates toward cleaner energy solutions, electric vehicles (EVs) and advanced battery technologies stand at the forefront of this transformative journey. The shift towards electrification underscores a global commitment to reducing carbon emissions, with the EV market experiencing unprecedented growth​​. Innovations in battery technology, crucial for extending EV range and reducing costs, […]

Read More
Grid modernization
Grid Modernization is Bringing Utilities and Internet Providers to the Table. How Will Collaboration Shape the Grid?
March 26, 2024

The power grid is in for an exciting era of improvement as it embraces Industry 4.0 and mass digitalization. That doesn’t mean modernization isn’t a tough ride. As the grid grapples with blackouts and shut-offs, one thing is clear: The U.S. needs to modernize its aging grid and embrace technologies that make better use […]

Read More
Leverage AR & VR Technologies to Deepen Fan Engagement & Unlock Real-Time Marketing and Revenue Opportunities in Sports
March 26, 2024

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies are opening up novel ways to enhance the fan experience, both in stadiums and from the comfort of one’s home. The release of Apple Vision Pro AR VR headsets has sparked debate on their potential impact on live sporting events. Critics question whether fans engrossed in […]

Read More