Voice Tech Podcast

Today on the show, we welcome Carl Robinson. Yep, the script has been flipped, and your favorite Voice Tech Podcast host is now on the other side of the mic as today’s guest! Interviewing Carl live from Project Voice is the brilliant Keri Roberts – host of the Inside Voice Podcast.

In this episode, we find out more about Carl’s background as a data scientist, how he got interested in voice tech through emotion detection technology, and the fascinating array of projects he has worked on since those earlier days. We also discover why the Voice Tech Podcast was started, how it has progressed since its inception in 2018, and the many insights Carl has gleaned from the array of guests and conversations he has had on this very podcast show to date.

From the boom in voice tech education, to hearables and wearables, biometric smart speaker detection, and the remarkable advancements being made in emotion detection – Carl also shares the technology he is most excited about right now, and his predictions for future trends. Whether you are new or old to the world of voice tech, or perhaps just seeking some great tips for your own podcast – this is a fantastic episode that will connect you to the heart of your host and the latest in voice tech!

Links from the show:

• Voice Tech Podcast
• Carl Robinson on Twitter
• Carl Robinson on LinkedIn
• Inside VOICE Podcast
• Keri Roberts on LinkedIn
• Keri Roberts on Twitter
• Project Voice
• Batvoice
• Task Bullet
• Voice Tech Podcast Newsletter
• Voice Master’s by Vixen Lab
• Neurodata Lab
• Pragmatic Digital
• Project Voice 2020 – Voice Tech Podcast ep.050

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]

Marek Mis is the founder of OnlyOne, the first ever voice-dating application. Only One helps users find their true love using only their voice.

We explore the fascinating concept of without images, diving into the product features, and how the platform matches you up with your perfect partner. We discuss dating apps in general, typical behavioral patterns seen on dating apps today, as well as the benefits of having voice-only matchmakers, as opposed to the more multi-modal features seen in ‘traditional’ dating apps, like Tinder today. 

We also hear what Marek has learned from the initial data generated by platform’s users; what he’s learned about human connection, what he has been most surprised by, and the types of metrics that he tracks. We also get into the nuts and bolts of this app development process itself; everything from Dialogflow, to FireBase, to Web App JS, and how you can become an expert in these technologies.

Links from the show:

• Marek Mis
• Marek Mis on Twitter
• Marek Mis on LinkedIn
• OnlyOne
• OnlyOne on Google Assistant
• Greenwood Campbell
• VoiceBase
• Upside Agency
• FireBase
• Dating App Waving Uses Your Voice in Profiles Instead of Pictures
• Episode 36: Echo Echo Chamber with Adam Greenwood

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]

Jon is the leader of the Open Voice Network, an organization that seeks to create a future of AI voice that is standards-based, interoperable, accessible, and data protected. While the voice movement is growing rapidly, it is still very much in a fledgling state. This makes the task of setting up governance and standards in the space highly relevant, and one which Jon is working hard to address. 

In today’s episode, we talk about why we need a network like OVN at all, and what happens if we don’t create such an organization. Jon explains why he is focusing on shopping and retail in particular. He dives into how this category of the market presents a research case that raises many of the relevant issues arising by the introduction of voice technology into a particular field.

We cover conflicts of interest and groupthink too; between users, developers, enterprises, platform companies, and thought leaders, there are clearly many voices with different vested interests in what the standards look like and who they benefit. We hear about the five main areas which the research at OVN will focus on.

Our conversation also covers some of the ethical issues raised by just how much data can be captured in a moment in which a customer's voice gets recorded, and how standardization can address the responsibility this places the company which hears it in. In the bonus questions for Pro listeners, Jon reflects on his storied career in technology, and what led him to launch the Open Voice Network. 

Links from the show:

• Jon Stine
• Jon Stine on LinkedIn
• Open Voice Network
• MIT Auto-ID Lab
• Intel
• Prof. Sanjay Sarma
• Prof. Brian Subirana
• Bret Kinsella
• Open Rights Group

Sponsors:

• Manning books << 40% off all books code: PODVOICETECH19
• Voice Connected Business EU conference << 30% off code: VoiceTech30EU
• Robocopy Conversation Design Course << 50% off with this link
• Voice of the Car Summit << 30% off with VOICETECHCARL

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]

Braden Ream is the CEO of Voiceflow, a collaborative design platform for voice app development. Voiceflow is currently responsible for powering one million conversations a month and 6% of the world’s Alexa Skills are built on their platform. 

In this episode, we discover how to build Alexa Skills and Google Actions without coding, using Voiceflow’s drag and drop interface. First off, we dive into conversation design on Voiceflow, the difference between using flowcharts and stateful design, the limitations of Voiceflow versus coding from scratch, and how Braden views the parity gap between what their platform can produce and what you can produce on the core platforms.

We also get into industry topics such as what it is like to build a voice startup in the context of today’s funding, competition, and timing challenges; whether Braden considers voice to be an interface or platform; and his thoughts on the discovery issue and how it can be improved.

You will also hear Braden’s predictions for 2020 – specifically the rise of intent-less voice app structures, the debate about whether apps are the right model for voice interfaces, and then he shares how he has managed to build such a strong community. There are also a number of bonus questions that reveal more about Braden’s background and the advice he has for newcomers.

Links from the show:

• Braden Ream on LinkedIn
• Braden Ream on Twitter
• Voiceflow
• Voiceflow on Twitter
• Voice Tech Podcast (Pro) 
• Project Voice Awards
• American Cancer Society
• Annapurna Pictures 
• Missing Link
• Alexa
• The New York Times
• Matchbox
• More Than Just Weather & Music: 200 Ways to Use Alexa 
• Wired

Sponsors:

• Voice Connected Business EU conference << 30% off code: VoiceTech30EU
• Robocopy Conversation Design Course << 25% off with this link
• Voice of the Car Summit << 30% off with VOICETECHCARL

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]

Emerson Sklar is the Chief Evangelist at Bespoken, a company with a popular toolkit for testing and monitoring voice apps. We start by unpacking the fundamentals of testing and the various types, from the unit and end-to-end testing to continuous and usability performance testing.

Emerson talks to us through the product features of Bespoken and how it works. We discover the surprising fact that their system uses text-to-speech to generate audio, which is then fed to a virtual Alexa on the servers to generate a response. They are thus able to modify the input in order to measure what effect that has on the output.

Tuning in, listeners will also learn from case studies involving The Mars Agency and Mercedes, we cover the vital elements of a testing strategy and how it should be approached, and then we look at ways to better understand voice app users through monitoring and analytics. 

We have included a bonus section at the end comprising a run-down of all the tools that we can recommend for the various stages of the voice development process, including prototyping, skill building, coding frameworks, testing, and analytics.

Links from the show:

• Emerson Sklar on LinkedIn
• Emerson Sklar on Twitter
• Emerson Sklar Email
• Bespoken
• Bespoken on Twitter
• The Mars Agency
• Mercedes
• Army Research Laboratory 
• Army Intelligence and Security Command
• Applause 
• Amazon Polly
• Google Cloud Text-to-Speech
• Alexa
• Bret Kinsella on Twitter
• Adobe XD
• Cathy Pearl

Sponsors:

• Manning books << 40% off all books code: PODVOICETECH19
• Voice Connected Business EU conference << 30% off code: VoiceTech30EU
• Robocopy Conversation Design Course << 50% off with this link
• Voice of the Car Summit << 30% off with VOICETECHCARL
• The Podcast Host articles, workshops and coaching
• Alitu podcast maker SaaS app

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]

Bixby 2, Samsung’s new voice assistant, is poised to become a major player in the voice ecosystem. With 500m devices sold each year, it represents an enormous opportunity for voice developers. Bixby’s Lead Developer Evangelist, Roger Kibbe, introduces us to the new product and what it means for developers, users, and the frontier of voice.

In this episode, Roger talks about the coming paradigm shift voice presents in the way we will interact with our devices. He gets into what using Bixby will be like, including how their team have incorporated multimodality, and what that might look like while watching TV or booking a hotel. 

We take a deep dive into the development side of Bixby too, and Roger gives us some compelling reasons for why developers should get familiar with their IDE right away. He speaks about what it’s like to code on it, focusing on its revolutionary declarative development paradigm, and also touching on building concepts and actions. 

We hear about the genius AI behind its use of templates to refine searches and access spreadsheets, and its smart use of categories for third party apps, to deliver the best possible experience. In our bonus questions, Roger tells us his background story, and shares his advice for budding voice developers. This is an in-depth interview that gets into a range of exciting topics, making for an unmissable episode.

Links from the show:

• Roger Kibbe on LinkedIn
• Roger Kibbe on Twitter 
• Bixby Developer Studio
• Bixby Developers on GitHub
• Bixby Development YouTube Tutorials
• Bixby Developers on Twitter
• Bixby Developers on Facebook
• Bixby Developers Chat on Spotify
• How to make a Bixby Capsule Guide << build a Bixby capsule right now!
• Samsung
• Bixby

Sponsors:

• Voice of the Car Summit << 30% off with VOICETECHCARL
• Robocopy Conversation Design Course << 50% off with this link

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]

In today’s episode, you’ll hear four of my favorite conversations with brands and providers recorded at the recent Project Voice conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

First up is Alexey Khitrov from IDR&D, who comes back on the show to give us an update on recent features, including their prizewinning results on liveness checks, a five-step behind-the-scenes authentication system, and their recent adoption of face technology too.

Next up are Ron Jaworski and Noa Eshed from Trinity Audio who present the innovative features of their audio content solution. The team notably lists their CMS platform and the higher agency it provides their clients as far as content management. 

Laura Frantz from ICF also joins us to tell the story of how she built a voice app for a utilities company. She speaks about the functionality of the app and its hopes to integrate billing services in the future. 

Lastly, we speak to Zac Jarrard, project manager at Park University in Missouri, who talks about how students are not only using Alexa to access university services but are also learning to build Alexa apps in his voice development club. 

Links from the show:

• Project Voice
• Alexey Khitrov on LinkedIn
• IDR&D
• Noa Eshed on LinkedIn
• Ron Jaworski on LinkedIn
• Trinity Audio
• Trinity Audio on YouTube
• Trinity Audio on Quora
• Laura Frantz on LinkedIn
• Laura Frantz on Twitter
• ICF
• Zac Jarrard on LinkedIn
• Park University
• VoiceTech Shop
• Amazon AWS
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• New York Times
• Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative
• Voicebot.ai

Sponsors:

• Manning books << 40% off all books code: PODVOICETECH19
• Voice Connected Business EU conference << 30% off code: VoiceTech30EU
• Robocopy Conversation Design Course << 50% off with this link

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]

As voice-assistant technologies become more frequent in many different industries, questions of its influence on those industries themselves become more pertinent. Today’s guest is Krish Velkar from Ogilvy, who joins us to discuss his recent master's dissertation which explored the influence of voice assistants on the purchasing of FMCG products (fast-moving consumer goods).

In this episode, we discuss the history of voice technology and the ways people are beginning to use it more frequently in India as well as globally. Krish gets into what voice tech promises for accessibility, speaking to his grandparents’ adoption of smartphones due to the intuitiveness of voice tech as a UI. He speaks about the idea of low and high involvement purchases, and where voice purchasing is most effective.

We then get into Krish’s actual research, and he takes us through the hypotheses, methods, discoveries, and insights that can be found in his dissertation. He talks about the surveys he made regarding the buying process and the likelihood of repurchase using the Ariel detergent virtual assistant. He also discusses ways companies can optimize the voice-assisted experience, stressing the value of early brand adoption and more anthropomorphic chatbots. 

We could be looking at significant developments in the FMCG retail space over the next few years, so Krish’s research couldn’t come at a better time. Tune in to hear more about it. 

Links from the show:

• Krish Velkar on LinkedIn
• Krish Velkar on Twitter
• Alexa, are you a salesperson?
• Impact of Voice Assistance on a Consumer’s Purchase Decision for FMCG Products
• Ogilvy
• James Poulter
• Voice2
• University of Bath
• Marketing Week
• VR World
• King’s College
• Professor Ko de Ruyter
• Mark Ritson
• Vixen Labs
• Siri
• IBM Shoebox
• Carnegie Mellon Harpy

Sponsors:

• Voice of the Car Summit << 30% off with VOICETECHCARL
• Robocopy Train the Trainer Bootcamp << 10% off when mentioning the Voice Tech Podcast

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]

On the show this week, we welcome Stacey Zuniga, the VP of Financial Services at ENACOMM, a FinTech provider of intelligent interactions and customer authentication for banks and financial services companies. Also joining us for the conversation is Kelly Burdette, the Senior Vice President of Digital and Product at Bank Independent – a customer of ENACOMM. 

Talking with both the technology provider and the client about how voice banking was implemented on Alexa makes for a well-rounded discussion. You will learn about the rationale behind the project and, from Kelly’s perspective, what it is like to compete with other banks and stay ahead of the curve. 

Our guests explain the benefits of voice banking, including improved accessibility, convenience, security, and human connection. Then Stacey explains the challenges of building financial-grade authentication with the platforms, the bidirectional exchange of information and the necessary changes to integrate the voice platform with the existing systems. We also cover some of the security issues of voice banking and payments, the latest technologies such as voice biometrics, and the importance of multi-factor authentication.

This conversation is particularly relevant considering that it revolves around a service that most of us will inevitably engage, and listeners will hear use cases for how this technology is expected to change the lives of both young and old.

Links from the show:

• Stacey Zuniga on LinkedIn 
• Kelly Burdette on LinkedIn
• ENACOMM
• Bank Independent
• Bank of America
• Chase 
• Jack Henry & Associates
• Bose

Sponsors:

• Manning books << 40% off all books code: PODVOICETECH19
• Outgrow

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]

Today on the show we talk with seven leading French companies in the burgeoning European voice space. The Voice Tech Paris 2019 Conference took place just last November and was the first B2B event dedicated to voice technology in France. But with over 50 speakers and 700 participants who attended, it’s safe to say that it’s certainly not going to be the last! 

In this episode, we hear from seven pioneering startups, ranging in specializations from speech analytics, to real-time voice transformation, to developing custom digital spokespeople, to a number of agencies as well. These companies give us a great cross-section of the types of attendees at the Voice Tech Paris 2019 Conference, as well as a panoramic view of what’s happening on the ground in the voice space in France, right now. 

The companies we speak with today are Allo-Media, Airudit, Candy Voice, Acapela Group, Insign, Speak UX!, and Loui Tech. Interest around voice interface is steadily growing in France, and if you’re wondering what the European market looks like today, and what it might look like in the near future, this is a great episode for keeping your finger on the pulse! 

By the end of this episode, you’ll be floored by the innovative solutions these seven diverse startups are providing for a kaleidoscope of users, from pilots to submarine workers, students, top brands, video gamers, telecommunicators, national train lines, to the medical world, and many more!

Links from the show:

• Voice Tech in Paris 2019
• Acapela Group
• Remy Cadic on LinkedIn
• Deutsche Bahn
• My Own Voice Project
• Airudit
• Candy Voice
• VoiceMarket
• Allo-Media
• Allo-Media on Twitter
• Romain Sambarino on LinkedIn
• Insign
• Snips
• Speak UX!
• Amina Esselimani on LinkedIn
• Hello my bot
• Voxygen
• Loui Tech

Sponsors:

• Voice of the Car Summit << 30% off with VOICETECHCARL
• Robocopy Train the Trainer Bootcamp << 10% off when mentioning the Voice Tech Podcast

Find us here:

• Website
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube
• Discord
• LinkedIn
• X
• Reddit
• Patreon
• [email protected]