Massive upgrades were introduced by Amazon in its recent Fall hardware event, with one centering on Alexa's accessibility features.
Instead of mainly centering on voice commands and touch for Alexa-enabled devices, it can now perceive directions from the feature called Eye Gaze, and when enabled, it would follow a person's eye gaze.
Alexa also gets the Call Translation feature, with the AI assistant helping users understand more of a conversation in their native dialect among selected languages.
Amazon Alexa Upgrade: Eye Gaze, Call Translation Coming
Amazon is expanding the capabilities of Alexa with its latest development on its large language model (LLM). But alongside this, the company is also featuring better accessibility features for all that need it.
In the recent Amazon 2023 Devices & Services Event, the company introduced the Eye Gaze and Call Translation to the AI assistant via compatible devices.
The Eye Gaze opens up massive possibilities to access the AI assistant better, especially for those with difficulties in speaking or moving, as their eyes would help command Alexa to point out their needs. There are presets for controlling Alexa with the eyes, applicable for various smart home needs, music, making calls, and more.
Call Translation will also be available for Amazon's Echo Show and Alexa app users in the US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Mexico, and Spain later this year. This feature would automatically translate the call via on-screen captions for up to 10 languages available.
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Accessibility Features for Amazon's AI Assistant
These new Alexa features center on accessibility, with its advanced acoustic model, on-device visual process, proximity analysis, and more made possible via its latest LLM.
AI improvements via its new developments on LLM are now giving Alexa the upgrade it needs, centering on the assistant's capabilities to provide its service for those with special requirements.
Alexa and What it Offers the World
Amazon introduced its Alexa voice assistant in 2014, and the company will soon celebrate the technology's 9th birthday this November, marking another year for this technology.
Amazon added many features to what Alexa has to offer, and among these is the "Hey Disney" skill that brings the Fire Tablets and more to feature the famous cartoon characters' voices as their assistant.
In a first for AI voice assistants, Alexa also previously joined the NASA Artemis mission inside an iPad installed on the Orion Callisto, with its voice command available.
While these AI systems are not regarded as the most advanced in the market, they still aim to bring the latest developments through better training of LLM.
With Amazon ushering in a new era for Alexa, one of its latest features introduces accessibility for all, and it no longer needs to wait for voice commands to work due to the new Eye Gaze and Call Translation features.
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