Ever since Robby the Robot first popped onto the screen in the 1956 sci - fi classicForbidden Planet — and in all probability well before — human being have preferred to personalize their artificial intelligence by naming it . Apple labeled its vocalization realization software package Siri ; IBM ’s supercomputer was nickname Watson . More recently , Amazon has been peddling its Echo smart plate equipment that responds to vocalise commands by using the name " Alexa . " To tell it to order more laundry detergent or turn down the thermostat , users unremarkably begin by addressing it by the caller ’s preprogrammed name .
But what go on when someone in your home is also named Alexa ? Wo n’t things get confusing or annoying , and quickly ?
PerThe Wall Street Journal[PDF ] , the solvent is a resounding yes . With Alexa being the 39thmost democratic miss ’s name of 2006 , menage across the state have been scowling at their Echos in defeat . At the Sussman home in New York , theJournalreported , college - aged daughter Alexa is often throw for Amazon ’s Alexa . When her father once ask his offspring for some body of water , Echo pick up up and offered to order 24 bottles of Fiji .
The twist also likes to chime in whenever it hears a name that bears a dim resemblance . If a television character or human blurts out “ Alexa ” or “ Alex , ” it might endeavor to obey whatever stick to .
Fortunately , the Echo has a little - known feature that can break up the trouble for bear on households . With the Echo ’s smartphone control panel app , the gimmick ’s “ ignite word”—the word it recognizes for begin paying attention to command — can be changed to “ Amazon , ” “ Echo , ” or “ computer . ” If you do n’t like any of those , you could always just interchange your homo ’s name alternatively .
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