In photographs, videos, and textbooks, we search for a deeper understanding of a person we never had the opportunity to know. These truths reveal themselves in parts, through momentary glimpses into the past. No matter how hard we try to get to know them, there remains a gap in between us and them; the past, and the present. We go to museums to learn, to be inspired, and to understand the people that are significant to our complex human history. There are artifacts and exhibits that bring us closer to who they were, making their impact more evident. We follow tour guides to hear their stories, but there is still an undeniable silence that sits vacantly beneath all of the words, the voices, and the artifacts that testify to their legacies, to their existence. The element of communication and connection is missing; but what if it was possible for this to change?
By using an AI system such as Amazon’s Alexa (with tools capable of machine learning, voice recognition, etc.), it is possible for subject X (being a museum visitor) and subject Y, (being an AI system capable of imitating a historical figure), to hold realistic conversations. That being said, how we define the “museum experience” has the potential to be altered drastically. The purpose of this project would be to utilize Alexa Skills, and end up with a program that is capable of communicating with subject X. The historical figure I am going to use for reference in this project will be mathematician Alan Turing. Ultimately, the goal of this project is to connect people with a variety of historical figures who are no longer alive to tell their stories.
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