If British people get their way we will be talking to computers, cars and even curtains within the next twenty years, according to a survey by voice technology company Intervoice.
The research, commissioned to mark Intervoice's 20th anniversary, asked people for their thoughts on technologies likely to be invented and in use within the next 20 years.
- 40 per cent of people expect household robots to be the norm
- 18 per cent of people expect cars will be fueled by water
But the top technology of the future is expected to be voice-control. Almost 7 in 10 (69 per cent) people expect to be able to 'talk to computers,' while 6 in 10 predict that 'people will no longer need to use a keyboard or mouse to control their PC.'
The most popular choice for future 'voice-control' technology is using voice as part of a security system for the home or office, with 39 per cent of people advocating the idea. Other areas that people were interested in controlling by voice included:
- Car (26%)
- Curtains (34%)
- Microwave (28%)
- Web access (27%) - a figure that rose as high as 49% among regular Internet users.
"Voice is the most natural medium in the world," says Simon Edwards, director of strategy at Intervoice (now part of Convergys). "The primary driver is mobile internet access, where voice would free users from using tiny keypads. And unlike a keyboard or a mouse, your voice is always with you."