Voice recognition

While some assistance is available to individuals who lack the power of speech, verbally communicating with other people can still be challenging. A new face-worn strain sensor could help, as it's able to "read" the wearer's silently mouthed words.

While it's handy to be able to control our devices via voice commands, speaking those commands out loud can be problematic. The EarCommand system offers an alternative, as it "reads" users' silently mouthed words by monitoring their ear canal.

If you were in a business meeting or a quiet library, it wouldn't really be appropriate if you suddenly blurted out "Siri, check email." That's where the Speechin necklace is designed to come in, as it recognizes silent speech.

Sweden's Zound Industries, the company that manufactures headphones and speakers under license from Marshall Amps, has announced the release of a new Bluetooth speaker called the Uxbridge Voice, which has Alexa built in and supports AirPlay 2.

After a successful Kickstarter last year, Robosen Robotics has launched the T9, a robot that transforms into a vehicle through voice commands or via an app.

The Spark amp from Positive Grid is paired with a voice-activated mobile app that opens the door to real-time practice and learning tools, and allows players to jam along to tracks from streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.

After flagging the feature earlier in the year, Amazon has now introduced multi-lingual functionality for its Alexa voice assistant.

Amazon revealed its second generation Fire TV Cube promising enhanced and faster voice command systems plus more HDR support.

​Not long ago, if you told someone there was a device that allowed your spoken words to instantly be heard in another language, they might not believe you. Well, there are now several such gadgets available, and we recently tried out a unique new model – Misway Technology's Smark two-way translator.

​As Amazon targets children with the release of its Echo Dot Kids Edition, concerns are being raised over the effects voice assistants could be having on children. Is teaching kids how to politely command Alexa enough, or are there long-term developmental consequences to children using such devices?

A few days ago, at Google's annual I/O developer conference, the search giant revealed a new AI system called Duplex. It can book appointments for you by carrying out natural conversations over the phone, but what happens when a company makes a computer system sound too human?

Matrix Labs has created a Raspberry Pi-compatible Internet-of-Things development board with built-in microphones that can bring custom voice recognition smarts to any maker project. And following a successful crowdfunding effort on Indiegogo last year, the Matrix Voice is now on general release.​