[Smarti]

Hi all,  

My name is toine and I have just discovered this forum while checking about the best latest chatbots.

I have just released my first version of "Smart-i" a "smart interface" tool that enables user to listen to his music, check his email and calendar events and read his favourite RSS feeds, everything accessible in a very easy way or even with simple voice commands.
I have a little "chat" feature which can reasonably not be named as "chat" since it is a very stupid stuff, and I was looking for inspiration to enhance this part of my software. I now see that a funny enough chatbot is still quite a development work!

But my huge personal disappointment is when I have seen from this forum the release of Denise 1.0 which I was not aware of, and which is exactly the dream I had when I started programming Smart-i. So everything is already done in a incomparable higher details....   (but Bravo to Guile for this amazing work!)

Nevertheless, I will see if my software raises anyway some little interests.

The link to my little piece of software, if I dare to give it, for people who would like to know more:

http://smarti.wintog.com/

To come back to AI, it's a field I really like, and I have the chance to (partly) work in it

"Chat" with some of you in this forum hopefully soon!  

[Art]

Welcome toine!

I scanned your software and it passed...clean as a whistle. Just a precaution.

It loaded easily and recognized my voice after I called it Smart-i! I tried to configure several of the categories but the Music one never did find an artist .

I am also confused how the abcde button is supposed to work?

Smart-i just says I can't locate any artist that begins with abcde.

There are several pop up errors when trying to use the calendar as well as some others.

The chat feature appeared to work sort of ok.

Is the HOUSE for future automation like Z-wave or X-10 commands?

Interesting program and some more polish should produce something more workable.

Keep in mind that voice recognition is always very difficult to work with.

Good luck and again, Welcome!

[Smarti]

Thanks for your welcome Art, and thank you very much for testing my software.

...but the Music one never did find an artist .

The program just looks for folders starting with the mentionned letter(s) in the Music folder configured in Options. When you press "abcde" it will list all folders starting with a,b, c,d or e.
If it does not list any folders and there are some in the Music folder path, thus there is a bug. Please give me more details (in MP if you prefer).

There are several pop up errors when trying to use the calendar as well as some others.

Would be great for me to know which errors are mentionned! Are you using Windows 7? I have only tested my software on XP and Vista.

Is the HOUSE for future automation like Z-wave or X-10 commands?

Good question, in fact I have an Adhoco system (www.adhoco.com) at home, and this will be the first home automation system I will implement. But should not be a big problem once it's done to extend it to other automation systems.

Thanks again for your feedback, and talk to you soon.

[Data]

Hi Smarti

I have Win 7 64 bit and everything I tried seemed to work ok, I couldn’t try the calendar because I don’t use one.

I did set the music folder to my music and Smarti said choose an artist, which I did but then it told me I needed winamp, again I don’t use it so I couldn’t test that. 

I’m personally not sure of the purpose of such software though, its not an attack on you as I feel the same about Denise, I have no trouble using my PC with a mouse / keyboard and like I have been doing for years now, make shortcuts on the desktop to my most used programs, I can even control Win 7 using the built in voice control which is ok for a while or until you get a dry throat.

Are you aiming Smarti at people with disabilities? I can see its potential there, a much-simplified Windows interface.   

Yeah, a pretty neat little exe and a fun project to work on I’m guessing, congratulations on your progress so far.

And welcome to Ai Dreams. 

[Smarti]

Hi Datahopa,

First, thanks for your welcome and for the important feedback you gave me.
I am happy to know that Windows 7 accepts my software!

I’m personally not sure of the purpose of such software though

I fully understand your doubt. I am personally using it as a hand-free interactive pc. I have a little touch screen pc (asus eeetop) in my living room, where pictures are continuously displayed and smart-i is running continuously there. When I am cooking, reading book or whatever, I am still connected to my emails. I use a desk microphone and it works well enough to tell commands from almost anywhere in the small flat. In the prototype I have, the webcam is used to enhance the interaction experience by detecting movements and wakes up to tell about new email or calendar event.

Since my whole flat is equipped with a home automation system, this piece of software is completing the techie aspect of my flat. But I perfectly understand that some people prefers to stand up and go to switch on the lights by themselves instead of just asking for "lights on!". They consider my kind of behaviour as lazyness.

And when I decided to start porting my little prototype into a "better quality" software, the idea of having a simple interface for elderly people or people with some disabilities was the driving idea. I hope it may be useful for somebody of this kind.
The techie guys like me who would love using voice commands are somehow rare, and it is not driven by a true need, it's just for fun, you're right.

Ok, sorry for the long answer, but this was my input in the debate "Is a virtual assistant as Denise useful?". I vote "yes". You probably vote "no". Do we have to start a poll ? 

Thanks again Datahopa.

Regards.

[Data]

Thanks for explaining it to me Smarti, I can see now that it does have some interesting uses, maybe you should explain a little more on your site so someone like me can grasp it better. Give an example of its use, like you did for me, just a thought.

I would be happy to help test things for you in Windows 7 should it be needed.

Im a bit techie too you know  , have been playing around with a few assistants over the years, speech recognition too, its funny but I always revert to keyboard / mouse or windows media center remote control, if I’m honest it’s quicker for me than talking.

But we are not all the same, which has to be a good thing in my book

Being able to say “lights on” and have them come on does sound cool, not lazzy. 

[Art]

toine,

I too, use Windows 7 and likewise I do not use Winamp nor Skype. There are simply too many privacy issues with these (or lack of).

I don't keep my songs in Folders. They are all contained in one Folder / Directory and it's NOT My Music as Microsoft and everyone else expects them to be placed there. After all, this is MY computer and I'll put things where I want. 

I was not trying to put down your software efforts by any means. Just giving an early and somewhat quick rundown.
As I mentioned, it does have promise especially for individuals with a need for such control.

Thanks and wishing you a great new year!