This summer I bought a new air conditioner for the sweltering Tokyo heat and was surprised to find that it talked.
Not only did it announce the temperature whenever I used the remote, but it was chatty, and made unsolicited comments like “Your clothes will dry well outside in today’s heat”
Personally I found it creepy and turned it off, but many Japanese appliance manufacturers are starting to implement these types of voice features.
While they can be annoying for some, they have some surprising benefits that can elevate the user experience of an appliance for certain users.
1. Improving Accessibility
Almost 30% of Japan’s population is over 65, and this number is expected to rise further due to declining birth rates and low immigration.
Due to this, elderly buyers make up a significant portion of the market for new appliances, and voice guidance is a popular way to make appliances more accessible for the elderly who have trouble reading small text.
For example, Toshiba introduced voice guidance into their TV remote controls in response to senior user feedback that their TVs had become difficult to use as their eyesight deteriorated. (reference)
2. Reducing Loneliness
The number of single person households is increasing, including many seniors who live alone. Some Japanese appliance manufacturers have implemented voice features to reduce loneliness.
Sharp’s Cocorobo robot vacuum cleaners give commentary in a cute voice as they clean throughout the day, such as exclaiming “Oops!” when they bang into furniture.
There is even a feature to have your grandchild record their voice to play at random times for grandparents who live alone.
3. Providing contextual information
Sharp’s air purifiers have a dazzling array of features that most people never use. To solve this problem, the appliances now use their voice to alert the user to when a feature can be used.
For example, after 3 hours of continuous clean air, the KI-FX75-T model says;
“Your room’s air is very clean! I’m going to turn on the strong circulation mode now to make sure there are no other pockets of dust or dirt”
Sharp says the goal is to make the advanced features easier to use, but abusing this feature may result in it immediately being turned off by disgruntled users.
4. Ensuring Safety
Safety focused announcements, such the ubiquitous talking escalators which remind you of the perils of unsafe escalator riding, are very common in Japan.
But recently they are coming inside — Sharp has begun testing a system that would allow its refrigerators and air conditioners to use their voice features to communicate with residents in the event of an earthquake or other natural disaster, notifying them of the need to evacuate or take shelter.
Potential Downsides
One Twitter user complained to Sharp that they heard a voice in their Kitchen complain of a low battery, but could not find out which appliance it was as so many appliances speak.
Difficulties like these, and people finding the voices irritating, means that offering users the ability to customize the announcements that they receive, or turn off the feature entirely, is also essential.
While most of the current appliance voice UX is simply pre-recorded announcements, AI has the potential to take these to another level, with the ability to sustain conversations.
If you are considering entering the Japan market and considering ways to improve your user experience, Wayfinder can help. We offer UX research, localization and market entry strategy to allow you to create experiences that Japanese users love.
