HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION

EMBEDDED PROJECT- REVIEW 1

TITLE: SMART SPEAKERS

COURSE CODE: SWE1018

SLOT: A2
FACULTY: RAJESWARI C

TEAM MEMBERS:
1) B VIJAYA SAI- 17MIS0133
2) B ARUL GNANA JOTHI- 17MIS0227

SUBMITTED BY,

B VIJAYA SAI- 17MIS0133

Introduction:
In this modern world, the technology keeps on growing frequently. So, does
our life. When we are updated ourselves with the new technology that has been
introduced. While this we also want our home/life to be smart. If we want some
quick answers/some other activity (Turning on the Lights/Fan in the Living Room
while you are in Kitchen) without reaching the switch, so there we use Smart
Speakers.
Smart Speakers are so powerful nowadays as it distinguishes different kind
of users with their voice and also holding lot of other cool functionalities (turning
on lights, playing songs and etc.…)

Smart Speakers:
A smart speaker is a type of wireless speaker and voice command device
with an integrated virtual assistant (artificial intelligence) that offers interactive
actions and handsfree activation with the help of one "hot word" (or several "hot
words").
Some smart speakers can also act as a smart device that utilizes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
and other wireless protocol standards to extend usage beyond audio playback,
such as to control home automation devices. This can include, but is not be
limited to, features such as compatibility across a number of services and
platforms, peer-to-peer connection through mesh networking, virtual assistants,
and others. Each can have its own designated interface and features in-house,
usually launched or controlled via application or home automation software.
Some smart speakers also include a screen to show the user a visual response.

INTERFACE: VOICE, BUTTONS AND TOUCH(SOME)

Every Smart Speakers comes with Voice Commands and also a Mic/Speaker
On/off Button but there are some with Touch Controls which will enable users to
play/pause the playback!!
Example: 1) Google Home with Google Assistant with Touch (Fig3)
2) Alexa Echo with Alexa (Fig4)
3) Apple Home Pod with Siri Voice Assistant with Touch (Fig2)
 4) Bixby Home with Bixby Assistant

Target Customers:
These types of Smart Speakers are open for all community of users but
Users(admin) can be able to limit the functionality to different community of
people.
For Example: A Parent (Adult) of a Child can limit the functionality of the
Smart Speaker, only allowing them to search for queries and play some songs
(Limiting the Contents).

Functionalities:
As they use Voice Commands to do any work it can be able to recognize
different voice between users those who already registered their voice. So,
whenever a particular person asks a Query then the result will be displayed
according to his state/recommendations. We can be able to Ask the smart
speakers to play a particular song by specifying the song and also question it to
get an answer.
Functionality of a smart speaker (Alexa Echo in this case) is given below in the
image (Fig 1)
 This above image clearly depicts the functionality of a Smart Speaker (in this case
Alexa Echo). It connects to the Network and it will be a kind of Master to other
IOT DEVICES in the house (Philips Hex- Wireless Controlled Led Light and other
IOT Devices).

The way of Communication/Interface: VOICE COMMANDS, TOUCH and

Buttons

Fig2. Apple Home Pod with Touch Fig3. Google Home Mini with Touch and
B Buttons for Mic on/off.

Fig4. Amazon Echo only with Voice Control

These some of the smart speakers and these use Voice Commands of registered users
to control other IOT Devices.
Sub- Functionality:
1) Philips Hue:

Fig5. Philips Hue

Philips Hue (Fig5) is a wireless controlled device and we can use voice
commands to change color and turn on/off the lights.
2) Managing Mobile Devices:
It can also make a call/text or Navigate us whenever we can’t reach our
mobile.
3) Media Playback System:
The main job of speaker is to play song. In this we don’t want to feed the
song in the speaker but we can ask the smart speaker to play a particular
song and it will play that automatically with the help of some third-party
music apps like Spotify (Fig 6), Google Play Music, iTunes etc.…

Fig 6: Spotify (Third Party Music Player)

LIMITATIONS:
Smart speakers don’t recognize unregistered people's voices:
While Smart speakers will answer to commands given, it is capable of recognizing
individual voices which has been already registered or recorded. This means you
can't use the device for different people whose voice are not been registered.
Human Errors/Technical Error:
Since it is a voice command interface there are people facing problem in correct
pronunciation of the word and voice recognition to get a particular phase. So, for
old aged people there might be some problems in the vocal and even Dumb people
cannot be able to interact with the system.
Limited Distance:
Even though Smart Speakers have very strong microphone it cannot cover a huge
space and whenever the “HOTWORD” is said the device should be active and listen
for user’s queries but it is not the fact that whenever the user wants to use it he
needs to be in closer range
Portability:
Only few Smart speakers have the feature of inbuilt battery, so that it can be used
in any locations or circumstances but many Smart speakers does not have the
feature of inbuilt battery, they can only be operated using prolonged power supply.
This is also one of the main limitations for Smart speakers. In the below Image (Fig7)
the smart speaker always has to be in constant power supple instead of inbuilt
battery!!

Fig7. Apple Home with Power Cod

SOLUTIONS FOR LIMITATIONS:
Smart speakers don’t recognize unregistered people's voices:
The problem is, it cannot recognize unregistered voices. We can register voices
during the installation/whenever a new user or guest user appears. But it can also
be considered as a secured safe process because we can prevent the Strangers
using our system without permission.
Otherwise we can also set the permission that everyone can access the smart
speakers using the “HOTWORD” with a very limited functionality.

Human Errors/Technical Errors:

For this placing a small OLED/LED panel that lets user see what the smart speaker
has recognized from our voice input so that if there is any kind of error then we can
redo/repeat our query.
Limited Distance:
The signals can be sent and received between components. We can extend our
sensors to a specific distance for easy accessibility. So, there by placing multiple
voice receivers in each place away from the particular range we can awake the
device with the “HOTWORD”
Portability:
There should be lot of Smart Speakers that should be packed with INBUILT
BATTERIES but anyhow these smart speakers need not to be portable but in some
cases, it can also be used as normal wireless speakers that play audio using some
wireless connectivity with phones. So INBUILT Batteries (Li-ion) will be so useful
that we can use it without getting tired of power suppling lines and tangled wires.