Technologies that talk and listen are populating computers, cars, call centers, and even home appliances and toys, but voice interfaces frequently seem to be more problem than opportunity.  This lecture will describe how the human brain and body are “wired” for speech: The sound of a voice, whether from a person or machine, causes us to respond as we respond to actual people and to behave as we would in any social situation.  

You will discover how voice can lead people to be polite to computers, to gender-stereotype cars, to buy more when a website’s personality matches their own, to be charmed by a toy’s flattery, and to drive more safely when the car has the correct emotion. You will learn whether an automated call center should apologize when it can’t understand what you say; why negotiations and creativity can improve when your words don’t come from your mouth, when to speak to maximize learning, how to encourage people to disagree with a robot, and the perfect combination of microphone and speaker to elicit honesty.  You will gain a better understanding of the future of the machines that will speak with and listen to us.

CLIFFORD NASS, the Thomas M. Storke Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Sociology, and Director of the Communication between Humans and Interactive Media (CHIMe) Lab.

Lecture is held at 7pm on the lawn adjacent to Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center. Come early and wander through the Cantor, have dinner at the Art Center’s Cool Café, or bring your own picnic.