Voice Control: The Next Big Thing in Wayfinding?

To create an engaging, efficient and accurate wayfinding experience, it helps to personalize the message. What one person finds easy to understand might not be as clear to another person. To simplify the navigation process, Visix, Inc. has developed voice-activated wayfinding technology. The company will demonstrate voice-user interface (VUI) options at InfoComm 2019, June 12-14, in Orlando, Fla.

Voice control integrated into digital signage has been discussed for years, but not much traction has been made in the commercial world. Visix thinks the time is right, and they are probably correct. Gartner thinks that 30% of web browsing sessions will be done without a screen by 2020. comScore thinks 50% of all searches will be voice searches by that point. The latter statistic translates to digital wayfinding.

“This is the next step in audience interaction,” says Jill Perardi, creative services manager for Visix. “People have embraced VUI technologies like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, and are eager for more. The primary advantage of VUI for our clients is that it gives their audiences a hands-free way to interact with screens. That can lead to more interest and engagement – which is the entire point of digital signage communications.”

VUI will be showcased in the booth in a wayfinding project for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A voice-user interface uses speech recognition to understand spoken commands and questions, and visibly return maps and directories upon request. The design also includes traditional touchscreen wayfinding options and ADA controls.

Visix is using VUI to further improve the user experience by offering multi-modal interactions with screens showing any type of content. User-led interactions can increase engagement and eliminate steps in searching information, making the process more convenient and efficient for users. VUI can also help meet ADA guidelines by providing interaction options for the visually impaired, and addresses the transmission of germs, which resonates with healthcare clients.