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"Every scientist worth his salt that I know of has read science fiction."
- Greg Bear
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| House Voice | ||
| A house-based system that mediates technologies (like phone) with a verbal interface directed to the inhabitants of the house. |
Now here's a customizable interface; no tinkering with "preferences" files for Angela.
| "Angela," the House said, it's voice quiet but compelling, "I have a call from Hilton Swift." "Executive override?" She was eating baked beans and toast at the kitchen counter. "No," it said, confidingly. "Change your tone," she said, around a mouthful of beans. "Something with an edge of anxiety." "Mr. Swift is waiting," the House said nervously. "Better," she said, carrying bowl and played to the washer, "but I want something closer to genuine hysteria." "Will you take the call?" The voice was choked with tension. "No," she said, "but keep your voice that way, I like it." |
| Technovelgy from Mona Lisa Overdrive,
by William Gibson. Published by Bantam in 1988 Additional resources -
|
Clearly, this house voice is a long way from the uninflected artificial speech of today.
Note the differences between this scene in the interaction between the human character and the machine "servant" and a very similar exchange between Jorj X. McKie and the Daily Schedule in The Dosadi Experiment.
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'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'
'Somewhere in space, a chrome and blue automobile raced the green light of Earth.'
'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...'
'We had discovered that metal was relatively impervious to the telepathic effect.'
'Detailed plans for the construction of the Gundstetter-Halone warp drive were flowing.'
'Do not waste your priceless company on the unappreciative folds of a sleep pod...'
'...so we've promised him a generous pension from the royalties.'
'Hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side.'
