The virtual assistant, Siri, seems to be getting better with age . . . . or in this case, update. By default, Siri can be opened by holding down the home button on your iPhone or iPad. Once opened, the button can be released and you may say your command. Within Apple’s iOS 9 updates, “Hey Siri” quietly emerged as a huge impact in the world of voice command features. Our friend, the iPhone, will be referenced throughout this blog for consistency purposes.
Starting out by clicking on the Settings app followed by the General option, selecting Siri will open the door to its unique settings. Simple items relating to on/off, language, and Siri voice may be selected here along with the “Hey Siri” feature. “Hey Siri” allows you to access Siri without pressing the home button by simply saying . . . . Hey Siri. With iPhone 6s/plus, you can use this feature without having the phone plugged into power. By turning on “Hey Siri” for the first time, a setup screen will appear allowing the ability to train Siri, which helps it understand your voice. It’s a simple 5-step process: The first three steps ask the end-user to say Hey Siri three times, and steps four and five have the user say Hey Siri along with a phrase. This is all done with the goal in mind to better recognize the user’s voice. The below video does an excellent job in summarizing the “Hey Siri” setup process.
IPAT Success Story!
After an IPAT assessment in which this technology was implemented, a gentleman in Bismarck, ND is overcoming vision barriers to complete his daily tasks as a receptionist. After answering the phone and placing the caller on hold, he uses Siri to search his contacts in order to find the appropriate extension!