Why do I need wake-word detection

Machine learning on edge devices

Wake-word on Pi Zero

The wake-word is a gateway to your Speech Interface

The use of a wake-word or hot-word in a digital voice interface serves two important purposes. First, it helps to limit the amount of audio that needs to be processed for speech recognition. This is important because transcribing speech to text can be a challenging task, and often requires the use of powerful servers and cloud-based speech recognition services. By using a wake-word, users can prevent their devices from continuously streaming audio data, which can consume bandwidth, data volume, and raise privacy concerns. Additionally, using a wake-word can help to reduce the cost of running cloud-based speech recognition services, as they are usually not free and can create a significant bill if used continuously.

Secondly, the use of a hot-word allows users to explicitly address their digital assistant. This is important in situations where the user may be speaking to another person and does not want their assistant to react to certain words or phrases. For example, if a user is having a conversation with someone else and says, “Can you buy some milk?”, they likely do not want their assistant to react to this request. By using a hot-word, users can ensure that their assistant only responds when they specifically address it, allowing for more natural and intuitive conversations.

In conclusion, the use of a wake-word or hot-word in a digital voice interface is an essential part of providing a convenient and effective speech recognition experience. It helps to limit the amount of audio that needs to be processed, reducing the cost and potential privacy concerns associated with continuous speech recognition. Additionally, it allows users to explicitly address their assistant, enabling more natural and intuitive conversations.

 

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