What are VUIs and why are they important?

VUIs allow you to interact with machines through conversation. If you have ever used the voice-enabled features of Apple's Siri or Google Assistant, you will be well aware of the capabilities they provide, such as asking about today's weather, getting the directions to nearby restaurants, or asking about last night's football scores for your favorite team.

Why is VUI important? Because user interfaces are moving away from touch-based interfaces and more toward conversational interfaces. According to Dr. Mehl from the University of Arizona, on average, humans speak anywhere between 15,000 and 47,000 words a day—equivalent to reading half a book! (http://bit.ly/29hmvcr) The importance and ubiquity of the spoken word in our daily lives will transform next-generation user interfaces from being touch-based to being VUIs.

Let's look at the advantages of VUIs:

• Speed: Processing voice inquiries is 5 to 10 times faster than typing and searching with the browser using search engines such as Google or Yahoo.

• Intuitive: Every day, people engage in conversations with other people, and simply asking questions is something that everyone can do without having to learn a new skill.
• Hands-free: VUIs can eliminate the need for touchscreens. For example, while driving or cooking, you can interact with an application with your voice.
• Personal: The ability to engage with machines through conversation brings a sense of closeness and almost human-like interactions. This can be a good thing when you want to engage users on a more personal level.