Falene McKenna
Linguistics Expert & Conversation Architect: Crafting Voice-Driven Conversations for Robots
Tel Aviv, Israel
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Falene McKenna is a product manager with a strong background in software development, conversational experience design, and data analysis. Specializing in Robot VUIs, she is passionate about using technology, particularly social robots and Conversational AI, to improve people's lives.
Coming from a background Linguistics, Falene began her Social Robotics career at Intuition Robotics, working on their flagship project ElliQ—an AI-powered social companion robot for older adults—and developing in-car voice experiences. She later collaborated on a proof-of-concept for Fur Hat Robotics and Microsoft PVA before serving as the Head of Product for Aico, an AI-driven early childhood learning robot by Curiosity Robotics.
In October of 2023, Falene started her own company, Lingua Robotica, with the hopes of bringing ethical and holistic design into multimodal development.
A voice in the conversational AI space, Falene has presented at various events, including the Conversation Design Festival 2022, emphasizing the importance of bot building standards, language expertise in AI experiences, and persona building. She is also an active member of Women in Voice, promoting gender diversity in the voice technology industry.
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Robots to the Rescue: Enhancing Voice-Driven AI through Social Robotics Insights
Prepare to embark on a captivating panel discussion that delves into the fascinating world of social robots, featuring robots such as ElliQ by Intuition Robotics, Aico by Curiosity Robotics, and more. These social robots offer a visceral exploration of human-AI interaction, serving as an invaluable source of insights that can be applied to a broad spectrum of human-persona interactions from IVR to virtual humans and from Voicebots to Voice First Experiences. By catering to diverse age groups and collaborating with vulnerable communities, they provide a unique lens to investigate diversity, ethics, and content creation in the AI and Conversational AI space.
Our esteemed panelists will guide you on an illuminating journey into the intersection of physical robots, empathetic voice interactions, and virtual humans. We will discuss the role of social robots in shaping our understanding of human-AI interaction and the lessons that can be applied to create more inclusive, empathetic, human-centered, and ethically-driven Voice First experiences. Together, we will tackle the triumphs and challenges of crafting AI systems for underrepresented peoples, with a special focus on the ethical dilemmas faced when working with vulnerable groups such as seniors and children. Additionally, we will delve into the pivotal role of content creation in ensuring meaningful and engaging interactions, both with physical robots and their virtual counterparts.
Drawing from real-life case studies and expert insights, attendees will leave with a comprehensive understanding of the current state of social robotics, the ethical conundrums faced by developers, and the promising prospects and hurdles awaiting in the Conversational AI arena. Join us for this enlightening conversation and walk away equipped with valuable knowledge to help you navigate the ever-evolving world of social robots, virtual humans, and Conversational AI.
Unparsed: Conversation Design Conference
The Changing Typography of the Uncanny Valley: exploring the depths and cliff of a valley that is no longer what it once was
The European Chatbot & Conversational AI Summit 4th Edition
Voice is dead...or is it?
Anecdotal data suggests that people HATE bots...but why and what are the borders of that loathing?
Using actual data from real life humans, we asked them what do they prefer - voice or chat - and why.
We asked them if their opinions changed, what situation they'd use one or the other, and what prompted their choice.
All of this was presented and the conclusion...people would rather write in "HUMAN" than select either chat or voice bots,
and that chat is better than voice, but only since the onset of chatGPT. See, ChatGPT did for chat what Google Duplex
did not do for voice and people have lost faith in voice DESPITE seeing voice as being more useful. What does that mean
for design? This talk answered that, too.
The European Chatbot & Conversational AI Summit 4th Edition
THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF LLMS AS SEARCH ENGINES: HOW AI, ALGORITHMS, AND LLMS PERPETUATE BIASES BASED ON USER PROMPTS
This panel discussion delves into the pressing, real-world & ethical concerns of AI and The Devastating Impact of LLMs as Search Engines: How AI, Algorithms, and LLMs Perpetuate Biases Based on User Prompts....and how the simple act of using data that isn't written with your societal bias can create unexpected, and often racist/antisemitic/misogynistic, datasets that poison your systems from the get-go.
Beyond “Hey Siri”: Realities, Challenges, and Opportunities for Voice Tech
Elevate your expertise with industry leaders by exploring the innovations, the hurdles, and the potential of today’s voice tech.
In this discussion, we’ll cover the latest about the industry:
- Insight into the transformative impact and potential of advanced voice technology in various sectors.
- Understanding the hurdles faced in voice tech adoption and strategies to overcome them.
- Exploring emerging opportunities and ethical considerations for the future of voice-driven interfaces.
VOICE 2023 Sessionize Event
Unparsed: Conversation Design Conference
Harmonizing Realities: Social Robots and Their Impact on Voice-Driven AI Interactions
Falene McKenna
Linguistics Expert & Conversation Architect: Crafting Voice-Driven Conversations for Robots
Tel Aviv, Israel
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