AI-powered personal assistants have made their way to mainstream over the past few years. We now have applications like Siri, Bixby, Ok Google, and Cortana besides others transforming our lives for better. To get your favorite song played, all you now have to do is, call your virtual assistant out and tell it to play. It is this simple.
No wonder it has been gaining exceptional popularity and the users are expected to touch a mark of 1,831m in the year 2021.
Given this exceptional level of popularity, entrepreneurs are taking interest in developing an AI-powered smart application, Siri. And for everyone in the streak, here’s a guide on how to do it right.
First of All, Top Six Voice Assistants on the Market
#1. Siri
Powered by Apple, Siri is a personal assistant for iOS, MacOS, tvOS, and WatchOS. It offers some of the outstanding capabilities to the user using high-end natural language processing. With Siri, you can explore answers to questions, call your contacts, read the messages, set the times, and do much more.
#2. OK Google
Ok Google, what’s the weather like today?
And within seconds, you have the forecast for yourself.
This is how Android users relish the flavor of Personal Assistants. Ok Google features some of the advanced functionalities like web search, route optimization, memo scheduling etc. that can collectively help users solve a wide array of the daily task.
#3. Cortana
Cortana is a virtual assistant that functions by combining voice recognition features and Artificial intelligence elements. Catering to a wide range of platforms, Cortana works flawlessly on devices with platforms like Windows, iOS, Android, and Xbox One. Featuring exceptional AI capabilities, it is capable of predicting users’ requirements and needs based on emails, what he/ she searches on the web, etc. It also renders amazing entertaining capabilities like singing for the users, making jokes, and even speak to the users informally.
#4. Amazon Echo
Amazon is a powerful aid that combines in itself hardware and software. You can see it as a small speaker equipped with sound sensors. This particular voice assistant can help users with tasks like searching web, schedule upcoming tasks, play sound file based on voice recognition, and much more. You can automatically activate the device by calling out “Alex” and get the job done.
#5. Nina
Nina is an AI-powered software that aims to minimize the human efforts required for routine tasks including web search, scheduling, etc. It is powered by a robust analytical mechanism that makes it smarter with usage.
#6. Bixby
Samsung owned Bixby is another AI-backed power application that builds a unique user approach based on interests and habits. It features advanced voice recognition while using an innate camera to recognize images based on markers and GPS.
What used to be the talk of the future is now the common term. Who has ever imagined that we would be able to talk with the devices? A device can plan your dinner, control the machines, search the web, watch the TV and many more. The ecosystem of SIRI is growing faster than ever and now the day is not far when we won’t be able to live the normal life without the use of voice assistants. The technical onrush opens up a new opportunity for AR development company but also creates a challenging situation in front of developers. The use of smart voice assistants are now the ordinary requirement of innovative apps and here we will assess how to develop a capable app like SIRI for your project?
How do AI Assistants Function?
Virtual Assistants are passive listening devices that respond to voice commands or greetings. Remember calling out “Hey Siri” to your iPhone. In other words, the device is constantly on the page with what happens around.
Backed by the internet support, they can search the web for you and find answers to the questions as you interact with them. However, being passive listening devices, they only activate when being called. That said, one of the critical aspects here is that the devices wake up every time wake word is called even in casual conversations.
Once active, you can ask your query and get the answers for the same.
SIRI: The most promising virtual assistant
SIRI is a voice-based virtual assistant which uses natural language processing to answer the queries of user, sending the recommendation and delegating the requests to other components like Internet services for further processing. It is part of Apple’s iOS, macOS and other iOS-based devices. SIRI was unavailable for many third-party applications, where with the release of iOS10, things changed and SIRI was made available for integration with the apps which work in verticals such as Audio calls and video calls, messaging app and contacts, a Payment app, photo search, and booking apps.
SIRI can accomplish a number of tasks, here is a quick list of features:
- Phone actions like call, email and video calls along with writing messages and sending them.
- Info about the weather condition and currency.
- Reminder and scheduling.
- Take care of Wifi, camera and screen settings.
- Internet surfing and navigational maps.
- Live games streaming and many more.
How does SIRI SDK function?
The integration of SIRI was propelled by a special Siri SDK which consists of two frameworks.
- The first framework covers tasks in your app.
- The second framework is responsible for custom visual representations.
Every app defines certain tasks, called as intent, that refers to the user intention. All intents in SIRI SDK has some corresponding classes, which uses defined properties, accurately belonging to the task involved. For example, if a user tells to start the exercise, the properties of intent may include exercise type and session length. Upon receiving the request, the system corresponds with the properties of relevant intent and send to the app extension. Then the correct results are shown at the output.
How to include the voice assistant in an app?
First Method: It involves the simple integration of voice technology into an application using custom APIs and development tools.
Second Method: This method involves the development of an intelligent assistant with the help of open source service and API.
Third Method: This is meant to create a custom voice assistant from scratch and integration to the app.
Develop your own voice assistant app with open-source platforms
Open-source software is one of the most prominent choices among software developers, regardless of aim and purpose. Following the widespread approach, here are the tools that you need to develop a voice assistant app.
#1. Melissa
Melissa is an amazing option for the newbie app developers who want to go for virtual assistant app development. The system is broken into multiple parts. Thus, in case you want to add/ modify a certain feature, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Melissa can speak to you, take notes, read the news, upload images, play music, and do a lot more. Written in Python, it can work across platforms including OS X, Windows, and Linux.
#2. Jasper
Jasper is suitable for the ones who want to pursue AI app development without external support. Running on model B, it also renders superb performance for the apps functioning on Raspberry Pi. This open source software is developed on Python and is capable of listening and learning. It silently tracks users’ habits and offers precise information when needed. Thus, Jasper is an amazing option to consider if you want to build your own voice assistant.
#3. Api.ai
APi.ai offers an extensive range of features to make virtual assistant app development easier. Covering beyond voice recognition, Api.ai also supports voice to text conversion by executing a relevant set of tasks. Just like other options, is also capable of analyzing your routine and drawing a conclusion from the same. It is available in two versions (free and paid). The paid version provides exceptional support to the ones who give priority to privacy and security.
Another Way to Pursue Virtual Assistant App Development
If you are not looking for some open-source software to integrate, here is your you can build a virtual assistant app.
Technologies to Develop Virtual Assistant Apps
#1. Voice/ Speech to Text (STT)
Virtual assistants, as we know, take up voice commands and convert the same to text. The voice may be fed as a file or a stream. This is then processed using CMU and Sphinx.
#2. Text to Speech (TTS)
As the name suggests, the process takes up the opposite route as compared to the first one. It takes up text/ images and transforms the same to human speech. The option comes handy when the user wants to listen to the correct pronunciation of a particular word.
#3. Intelligent Tagging and Decision Making
This makes it easier for the voice assistants to comprehend the user’s request. For example, in case the user wants to know what events he can attend currently, he would expect the system to get it a list of same. The functionality is enabled by Intelligent Tagging and Decision Making.
#4. Image Recognition
Though optional, it is an important feature to include. This later enables multimodal speech recognition development.
#5. Noise Control
The noises from cars, electrical appliances, other people talking near you make the user’s voice unclear. This technology will reduce or totally eliminate the background noise that prevents correct voice recognition. If you want to build your own personal assistant, this feature can serve as a good addition which will enhance the overall user experience.
#6. Voice Biometrics
This is a very important option security feature which you should take into account to create your own AI assistant. Thanks to this feature, the voice assistant may identify who is talking and whether it is necessary to respond. Thus, you may avoid a comic situation that happened to Siri and Amazon Alexa when they lowered the temperature in a house and even turned off someone’s thermostat by hearing a relevant command from the TV speakers.
#7. Speech compression
With this mechanism, the client side of the applications will resize the voice data and send it to the server in a succinct format. It will provide a fast application performance without annoying delays. To implement this mechanism, you can use G.711 standard.
#8. Voice interface
Voice interface is what the user hears and sees in return to his or her request. For the voice part, you will need to pick up the voice itself, set the rate of speech, the manner of speaking, etc. For the visual part, you will have to decide on the visual representation that a user is going to see on the screen. If reasonable, you can skip it at all and make your own AI assistant without these adjustments.
What to Keep in Mind During Voice Assistant App Development?
While developing a voice assistant app apparently takes up a lot of your efforts, you would never want to end up being a disappointment. Let’s check out some of the things that we could probably keep an eye on.
Choose the best platform
When thinking about how to create your own virtual assistant, research the existing platforms. Today there are all kinds of different platforms and services for creating an AI personal assistant. So, make the list of all the features you need and research existing platforms, then consider all ups and downs and choose the right one for your mobile application.
Develop with end-user in mind
When developing a virtual assistant app, you should always think about the end users, who they are, how old they are, and what tasks they want your assistant to complete. With these questions in mind, develop the right voice tone, language, and tasks that your AI personal assistant apps can do to make the end user’s life easier.
Choose the features carefully.
When making a feature list for voice assistant apps, remember this: to build AI assistant that works is better than a feature-packed assistant that doesn’t perform one task perfectly. Choose the most necessary features and make your assistant perform them perfectly.
For AI personal assistant app, an always-on interface saves time and limits unnecessary clicks. So the user can call a voice assistant any time without making any extra efforts.
Give it personality
In the end, it is the user who decides to continue to use your app or not, so the way to make them stay is to form a personal attachment to your app. Give your voice assistant a personality that your end users will like.
Final Words
Artificial intelligence is one of the biggest trends shaping various industries across the world. And app development is not an exception. While everyone is making sure to be the part of this major change, the voice assistant serves as an amazing aid. And if you are one aiming at the same, Matellio has a perfect team for you to partner with and to get perfect solution AI at a minimal cost. Wanna know more. Request a quote with us today!!!
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