TV remote control is not easy to use? Then you have to try the far-field voice recognition function of the Redmi X series

With the frequent participation of smartphone manufacturers, the "traditional" device of TV has gradually become the focus of the industry. Coincidentally, it is also thanks to the continuous entry of "outsiders" that the form, function and interaction mode of smart TV have also begun to undergo drastic changes.

Considering that the functional boundaries of smart TVs will continue to expand in the future, the change that will have the greatest impact on users is probably the interaction method - after all, this is the first step in human-computer communication.

Interactions affect content and functionality

We do not deny that the remote control that appeared in the 1950s was a groundbreaking innovation because it solved the contradiction between watching TV devices from a long distance and controlling them at hand.

However, with the emergence and development of smart TVs, the content and functions have grown explosively, and remote controls have begun to become incapable of keeping up.

First, from the perspective of content, under the influence of the decentralization of the Internet, smart TVs are no longer limited to traditional live broadcast content, but try their best to include video resources on the Internet. For example, Xiaomi TV has content from platforms such as iQiyi, Tencent Video, and Mango Video, and it is undoubtedly very difficult for users to find their favorite content using a remote control that only has directional keys.

On the other hand, in terms of functions, smart TVs are no longer limited to "audio and video", but are more like home smart centers, for example, they can control the status of home appliances, communicate with family members via video, etc. Similar to the explosion of content, the expansion of smart TV functions has also put forward new requirements for the interaction of smart TVs.

In fact, the interactive transformation challenges faced by smart TVs today are exactly the same as those faced by feature phones in the evolution to smartphones ten years ago.

The reason why smartphones have enabled the entire mobile phone industry to evolve from the button era to the touch screen era is that, on the one hand, they do have highlights in terms of product thinking, but the more important factor is that the large touch screen has actively adapted to the requirements of the times, as the explosion of mobile Internet content under the 3G network and the significant expansion of the boundaries of mobile phone functions.

Voice interaction is best suited for smart TVs

Since the remote control can no longer meet the requirements of the times, where should the future evolution of smart TVs go? In fact, combining scenarios and usage habits, it is easy to infer that "voice recognition" is the ultimate interactive method of smart TVs.

First, due to their large screen size, smart TVs are not good at near-field communication like PCs and smartphones, and can only rely on far-field interaction. However, smart voice control is very similar to a remote control, and you can control your smart TV just by standing in the living room and speaking.

Secondly, as mentioned above, after meeting the requirements of far-field interaction, remote controls have not kept up with the demand for the explosion of content and expansion of functions of smart TVs. On the contrary, smart voice has made up for the shortcomings of remote controls in this regard. This is mainly because, from the perspective of specific use, the command range of voice can well meet the needs of smart TVs with rich content and rich functions.

In fact, from another perspective, the relationship between "voice recognition" and smart TVs is very similar to the relationship between touch and smartphones - both correspond to relatively accurate and directional functions through wide-range, borderless interactions. Therefore, whether from the perspective of real-life scenarios and needs or from the macro level of product change, it is enough for us to have great expectations for the application of "voice recognition" on smart TVs.

Redmi X sets the industry benchmark

Although the smart TV industry generally recognizes the interactive direction of voice recognition, when combined with specific products, the voice interaction of most smart TVs has difficulty in even the most basic wake-up, and only supports responding to specific sentences.

The reason for this problem is mainly because far-field voice involves many difficult problems such as noise control, sound source positioning and cloud recognition - most manufacturers are unwilling to spend a lot of manpower and resources to solve them.

Fortunately, on May 26, Redmi launched the new X series smart TV, which not only continued the highly competitive price and ultimate hardware experience, but also finally brought us a new far-field voice recognition solution.

Since there is no precedent, on the one hand, the Redmi X series is equipped with a 4-mic microphone array, and on the other hand, Redmi has also conducted tens of thousands of hours of training at the software level, and finally achieved the most ideal far-field voice recognition.

In order to test the accuracy of far-field voice recognition wake-up of Redmi X products, we performed voice wake-up in the living room at the same volume and different angles. After several rounds of testing, Redmi X products were able to respond immediately.

On the basis of achieving accurate wake-up, another highlight of the Redmi X series is smart life - controlling home appliances through voice.

For example, if we want to adjust the temperature of Xiaomi air conditioner to 26℃, the traditional way is to find the remote control of the air conditioner first, and then turn the temperature to 26℃ one by one. But with Redmi X series, we only need to say "help me adjust the air conditioner temperature to 26℃" to the Redmi X series product, and then the Redmi X series product can automatically adjust the air conditioner temperature.

In this sense, the far-field voice recognition solution of the Redmi X series is no longer just a TV interaction, but has been expanded to the entire family scene, transforming into a "family butler".

On the whole, at a time when the industry is engaged in a price war and only focuses on sales, the Redmi X series, on the one hand, tries its best to lower prices, on the other hand, it achieves the ultimate in hardware, and at the same time, it also opens up a new way of interaction. It is definitely a benchmark product for current smart TVs.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.