Google Says Search Is Going to Be Like 'Star Trek'

By Hum
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Grand Master

Hum

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AUSTIN, Texas - In the future, the experience of searching the web is going to be like something out of "Star Trek." Or at least, that's what Google's vision is.

"The destiny of search is to become that 'Star Trek' computer and that's what we are building," Google's Search Head Amit Singhal said at SXSW Interactive this morning. Singhal shared that computers will know what people want and users won't have to type their queries into a small box on a clean white page.

"You can walk up to a computer and say, hey, computer," Singhal explained.

Of course, that is dependent on other technologies, including improved voice control, touch and sensory tech, he said. Singhal told ABC News something similar a few months ago.

Google's already started showing that sort of capability with its Glass. One of the main ways of controlling the glasses, which project digital information over your eyes, is through voice.

"OK, Glass. Google Jellyfish," a woman says to her glasses in a teaser video released last month. The results appear right in front of her eyes.

On Saturday, Google showed off what it calls "Talking Sneakers," shoes the company says will motivate you to move more. While Google says they won't be bringing them to market, the shoes pair with a phone and out of the speaker in the top of the shoe they speak to you.

"These are some of the best times in search," Singhal said. "All the technology is coming together: speak recognition, knowledge graph, natural language understanding - there are new devices coming out, so when you marry all this, tomorrow is looking bright."

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thomastmc

Posted
Posted
In the future, the experience of searching the web is going to be like something out of "Star Trek." Or at least, that's what Google's vision is.

"The destiny of search is to become that 'Star Trek' computer and that's what we are building," Google's Search Head Amit Singhal said at SXSW Interactive this morning. Singhal shared that computers will know what people want and users won't have to type their queries into a small box on a clean white page.

"You can walk up to a computer and say, hey, computer," Singhal explained.

I don't know... This guy has made some pretty incredulous and far out predictions before this one.

I've heard that in 1998 he proclaimed, "Computers will one day be very small, and very fast". And, just a few months ago he was saying something like, "Renewable resources are the future of energy production".

Seems pretty outlandish to me.

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thomastmc

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I for one would not enjoy having to talk to a computer.

Many times I just want quiet.

Your close-by neighbors may here everything you are doing -- and vice-versa.

And what if you have a sore throat ...

Privacy is a good point, as well as not having an office full of people talking to their computers. It would sound like the stock exchange floor.

I always cringe when someone is dictating a letter to the computer on Star Trek. I write very differently from how I speak, and like the differences. Dictation is out for me.

  • Ian W and FiB3R
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droolingmonkey

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Come on, haters, its not like google is going to confiscate your keyboards... this will simply be an extra option, that many may CHOOSE to use. More choices is good, right? Even if YOU dont like it, perhaps others might (like my Nana, who cant see super well, being able to speak to her computer would be great for her.)

Grand Master

The Teej

Posted
Posted

I don't know... This guy has made some pretty incredulous and far out predictions before this one.

I've heard that in 1998 he proclaimed, "Computers will one day be very small, and very fast". And, just a few months ago he was saying something like, "Renewable resources are the future of energy production".

Seems pretty outlandish to me.

Are you being sarcastic or serious? Because in 2013 we have hand held computers that are screamingly fast compared to household computers in 1998 - they're called smartphones. And renewable resources are the future of energy production, especially solar and wind energies.

Veteran

rfirth

Posted
Posted

On Saturday, Google showed off what it calls "Talking Sneakers," shoes the company says will motivate you to move more.

Yeah, that doesn't sound incredibly annoying AT ALL :p

Anyway... so search will be like 'Star Trek'... like IBM Watson? But... with Google AdSense?

Grand Master

Malisk

Posted
Posted

I think the language parsing is the most interesting part here. It sounds like you'll be brought to what you're searching for more easily without having to constantly refine keywords and browsing pages. However, this puts high demands on the artificial intelligence used.

As for deaf people: I'm sure that it, like Siri and S Voice etc, supports text output as well, despite being voice-oriented.

As for blind people: It would obviously be very useful. Any progression in this field is for them.

As for deaf and blind people: Hopefully there is tactile feedback in the future for those! Or they have to use the Internet with an assistant.

As for people with an aversion for new technology: Sorry, those can perhaps not be helped though.

Grand Master

BajiRav

Posted
Posted

Me: Google cheese singles

Google responding loudly: These are <adsense>Meet Russian singles near you who like cheese</adsense> the stores that sell cheese singles near you

Wife: Why are you searching for Russian ladies?

:no:

Grand Master

firey

Posted
Posted

Me: Google cheese singles

Google responding loudly: These are <adsense>Meet Russian singles near you who like cheese</adsense> the stores that sell cheese singles near you

Wife: Why are you searching for Russian ladies?

:no:

That's when you say "Don't come in in the middle of a conversation. Clearly the search wasn't for Russian Ladys, I do that when you AREN'T home."

Mentor

thomastmc

Posted
Posted

Are you being sarcastic or serious? Because in 2013 we have hand held computers that are screamingly fast compared to household computers in 1998 - they're called smartphones. And renewable resources are the future of energy production, especially solar and wind energies.

Uhhh, yes. I was being sarcastic. That's why I used those examples of predictions that aren't really predictions, but rather are just obvious logical progressions of technology. Everyone knew in 1998 that computers were soon going to be very small and very fast. It's Moore's Law.

This far out and futuristic "Star Trek" style of search already exists in a somewhat limited form, Siri, as mentioned in the article.

It seems incredibly obvious that voice recognition will be integrated more and more as one of the many choices we have of how we can interact with computers. While not convenient all the time, it can definitely be extremely convenient at least some of the time, like touch and motion capture.

Likewise, it just seems inevitable that, as we get better and better at AI, computers will be able to understand natural language and also be able to answer a question more directly than a list of dozens or hundreds of possible answers.

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