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Deck 03

Input Devices: Voice and Movement Control

ICT 110: IT for Business

Today's Learning Objectives

By the end of this lecture, you will be able to analyze how modern input devices create value across an entire business.
  • ✅ Explain how voice control streamlines processes in Finance, HR, and Operations.
  • ✅ Analyze the use of movement control for training, logistics, and data visualization.
  • ✅ Evaluate the business impact of advanced interfaces like wearables and haptics.
  • ✅ Connect these technologies to real-world business scenarios in Nepal.

Beyond the Keyboard & Mouse

The way we "talk" to computers is evolving from typing and clicking to more natural interactions.

Traditional Input

  • Keyboard & Mouse
  • Requires physical contact
  • Can be slow for certain tasks
  • Requires desk space

Natural User Interfaces (NUI)

  • ⚡ Voice & Movement
  • Hands-free & intuitive
  • Increases speed and accessibility
  • Enables new ways of working

Voice-Controlled Devices

Definition: Technology that allows users to interact with a computer or device using spoken commands. It converts analog sound waves into digital signals a computer can understand.

How It Works:

  1. Microphone: Captures your voice.
  2. Speech Recognition: Converts speech to text.
  3. Natural Language Processing (NLP): Understands the intent and context of your words.
  4. Action: The application executes the command.

Voice Control in Business: Finance & HR

💰 Finance & Accounting

  • Reporting: Dictate financial reports, emails, and memos, saving significant time.
  • Data Query: Use voice to ask for specific data, e.g., "Show me last quarter's revenue for the Butwal branch."
  • Security: Authorize transactions using voice biometrics, a unique and secure identifier.

🤝 Human Resources

  • Recruitment: Recruiters can dictate notes into an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) during or after an interview.
  • Accessibility: Assists employees with physical disabilities in performing their computer-based tasks.
  • Scheduling: Quickly schedule meetings and interviews using voice commands synced with calendars.

Voice Control in Business: Operations & Marketing

⚙️ Operations & Supply Chain

  • Warehousing: "Voice picking" systems guide workers hands-free, improving accuracy and speed.
  • Field Service: Technicians can log maintenance reports and order parts by voice, keeping their hands free for repairs.
  • Quality Control: Inspectors can record defects and observations verbally on the factory floor.

📊 Marketing & Sales

  • CRM Entry: Salespeople can update customer records and log meeting notes by voice after a client visit.
  • Meeting Minutes: Automatically transcribe meetings to capture action items and key decisions.
  • Market Research: Analyze customer service calls to identify trends, sentiment, and common issues.

Movement-Controlled Devices

Definition: Input devices that interpret human body motion, such as gestures, eye movements, or overall body position, as commands for a computer system.

Key Types:

Gesture Control

Uses cameras or sensors to recognize specific hand and finger movements.

Motion Tracking

Captures the movement of the entire body. Common in VR/AR.

Eye Tracking

Monitors pupil movement to determine where a user is looking.

Movement Control in Business Applications

⚙️ Manufacturing & Design

  • Control robotic arms or machinery with hand gestures for safety.
  • Architects and engineers manipulate 3D models of buildings or products.

🤝 HR & Training

  • Immersive VR simulations for training on complex or dangerous tasks (e.g., surgery, heavy equipment operation).
  • Onboarding new employees with interactive, gesture-based virtual tours of a facility.

📊 Data & Customer Insights

  • Interact with large, complex data visualizations in a 3D space.
  • Eye-tracking to analyze how customers view a website, product packaging, or store layout.

The Future is Here: Advanced Interfaces

Wearables & Haptics

Wearables: Devices like smartwatches and smart glasses that provide data and notifications.
Business Use: A warehouse manager gets inventory alerts on their smartwatch.

Haptic Gloves: Provide tactile (touch) feedback, allowing users to "feel" virtual objects.
Business Use: A trainee surgeon feels the resistance of tissue in a VR simulation.

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI)

A direct communication pathway between the brain's electrical activity and an external device.

Business Potential:

  • Assisting employees with severe paralysis.
  • High-stakes "thought-based" control systems.
  • Advanced market research (measuring true cognitive response to ads).

Practical Applications in Nepal 🇳🇵

How could these technologies be applied in the Nepali business context?

eSewa / Khalti (FinTech)

Implementing voice commands for fund transfers or balance checks to improve accessibility for all users.

Daraz (E-commerce Logistics)

Using voice-directed picking in their warehouses to reduce errors and speed up order fulfillment during sales events.

CG Foods (Manufacturing)

Gesture controls on a production line to start/stop machinery without touching surfaces, improving hygiene and safety.

Hotel Yak & Yeti (Hospitality)

Voice-controlled smart rooms where guests can command lights, curtains, and room service, enhancing the customer experience.

A Balanced View: Pros vs. Cons

⚡ Advantages

  • Efficiency: Faster than typing for many tasks.
  • Hands-Free: Crucial for safety and multitasking in operational roles.
  • Accessibility: Empowers users with physical limitations.
  • Intuitive: Lowers the learning curve for new software and systems.

🔍 Challenges

  • Accuracy: Background noise, accents, and dialects can cause errors.
  • Privacy: How is voice and movement data stored and secured?
  • Cost: Implementation and integration with existing systems can be expensive.
  • Social Acceptance: Using voice commands in an open-plan office isn't always practical.

Summary: Key Takeaways

What is the bottom line for you as a future business professional?
  • 🎯 Natural User Interfaces (NUI) are transforming how we interact with business systems, moving beyond the desktop.
  • 💼 The value is not just in marketing; the biggest gains in efficiency and safety are often in Operations, Finance, and HR.
  • ⚙️ Think of these technologies as problem-solving tools. How can a hands-free interface solve a specific business challenge?
  • 💡 Understanding these input methods is crucial for designing and managing the efficient business processes of the future.

Questions & Discussion

How might you use these technologies in your future career?

Thank You!

Next Topic: Input Devices: BCI, Wearables and Haptics


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