questfox mission Speech in Research for iOS completed #questfox FeatureAlert
Posted: 24. April 2021 Filed under: Speech2Text | Tags: Apple, feature, iOS, questfox, real voice of the customer, Research, Speech Leave a comment
Speech questionnaires with Apple iOS devices now available in questfox.
Since 2017 we already offer speech interviews on mobile or desktop devices powered by questfox. In 2019 we were awarded with the Best Practice Award from the German Society for Online Market Research (DGOF) for our study comparing the input of classic type-in keyboard input vs. voice input and video input with transciption of the speech. The study was one of its kind and a breakthrough in innovative online research.
But two years ago – for the first time in years – we were not able to follow our basic “device agnostic” paradigm as it was not possible to use these crazy new speech features on all devices available. The market driven fight between major players of the IT industry makes it necessary to cope with different approaches of technology.
Finally our fantastic development team made it happen. We are proud to offer the questfox feature set for speech in research questionnaires now to the Apple/iOS universe too.
Decision makers run on Apple devices
Even though the Apple world is a minor group in terms of market share and representativeness in market research, most of the decision makers run on Apple phones. These were the sceptical people not believing in our technology as we could not offer it to them. Hope to prove you wrong one more time.
The only excuse now left to not use speech questionnaires in research powered by questfox is a missing willing to innovate. All innovators are invited to work with us on new forms of research. The tech base is just the fundament to build new interactions in research far beyond the classic Likert scale.
Constant battle to innovate in research
The next battle we will be fighting in this field is to make change happen. A new paradigm of social interaction is available now. We are looking for totally different ways of asking questions. Leaving technology barriers behind now we are exploring new horizons.
All existing achievements of questfox are now available on some more millions of devices.
The 120 languages covered by questfox can now be used on iphones and Mac computers in Safari too. We will now be testing the settings where speech is still not possible and report on this. For sure there will be incompatibilities with older systems and older browers. But time is on our side….
Please update to the latest iOS 14 to be up to date for security reasons and to be able to participate in studies with voice. The new questfox features from covid year 2021 are probalby not working on Windows 95 and Internet Explorer. So please do not ask us if we can time travel to support stuff you should have updated long time ago. This is the time for change. So please also adopt and let us talk how we can change the world to make it a better place.
Why Speech in Research?
We believe (and can prove with data) that this technology opens the door to new kinds of research. Quant research will now be able to integrate more qualitative input. More data can be captured in less time. This is a way into sustainable research we definitively need.
More to read from the questfox team
WaveNet Text-to-Speech integrated into questfox
questfox Special Vocabulary Training for Speech2Text with new OOV feature
Speech2Text in questfox #time #confidencescore #realvoiceofthecustomer
Client’s SFTP Server integration for audio files
#questfox feature alert: Client’s SFTP Server integration for audio and video files
Posted: 1. November 2020 Filed under: Data Security, Multimedia Insights, Speech2Text | Tags: Audio, FTP, SFTP, transcription, Video 2 CommentsWe are very proud of the questfox development in speech. It is possible to record someones voice and to transcribe what the person said into text.
With more than 120 languages integrated, we are perhaps the leading tool for this kind of feature in market research.
As more and more users were saving thousands of answers on our servers we constantly discussed this feature set for security and performance reasons.
Saving Audio and Video Files outside of questfox
The idea of questfox speech tools is to receive the content said as a transcribed text. On top of this procedure questfox allows to save the recorded voices. The default setting for recording audio is OFF. So you need to switch ON this feature if you want to use it and later listen to the audio files.
To record the audio files you can switch the answer settings of an audio question type to ON.
The multimedia files used to be saved independently from the answers on the questfox server in a special folder structure.
In this setting we could not prevent that project admins of a project space could listen to the audios of other projects in the same project space.
In projects with thousands of audio files we had to admit, that performance of data handling in gigabytes became an issue in the browser. With the new approach this is over. You can decide where to save your data and you will have much quicker access as you can use your established tools to work with these multimedia files.
Security by Design with SFTP
Multimedia Files are now saved on the client’s side via SFTP
We now changed this forever and fulfill an important demand of our clients who always ask: Where is the data stored? From now on the answer will always be the same: The multimedia files are saved in your own security environment and not be in connection with the rest of the survey.
The recorded answer can be saved in your own environment and therefore out of everyone’s reach, using questfox. This is a major improvement in the field of data security as the multimedia data is now stored on the client’s side.
Important Notice: Make sure, that you have a user’s allowance to record his or her voice or video before saving this very personal information somewhere on the internet. This was a requirement before this new technology was implemented and still needs to be respected.
questfox is not responsible for your behavior and not reliable for your actions with our software. So please take data protection issues serious – especially in this very delicate field.
How to integrate your SFTP Server into questfox
Under CREATE – Projects Settings you will find a place to integrate your SFTP Settings.
Your password will never show-up in questfox and cannot be copied from the data input file.
When pressing the Connection Test button you should receive the following message when all input data is correct.
questfox settings for optional audio recording on your own SFTP Server
Organize your data following your needs
The data can be organized by three different settings: Question, Calendar Week or Participant. We advise you to do this only once per project to avoid confusion in the data structure.
Default is the organisation by question. Saving a single file would create a folder called “questfox” on your SFTP Server with a subfolder carrying the project ID and more subfolders named Q1 .. Qn with your multimedia data.
If you wish to organize the folder structure differently you can switch to “Order by Calender Week” and see the result later as “44-2020” which is the 44th week of the year 2020.
If you plan to look at the answers of one person you can organize the folder structure by “Participant”. questfox would create one folder for each individual and ad the answers to one question in this folder organized by question number (here Q1 and Q2).
And by the way: We updated to the most recent versions of transcription services. So the overall quality should become always better.
We wish you all the best with this new security feature which gives you the full power to manage sensitive data on your side. The flexibility of this approach will be important for complex projects.
FLAC – Free Lossless Audio Codec
In order to be independent from any kind of manufacturer we opted for the FLAC Codec to save in perfect nearly lossless quality.
For understanding this codec better we recommend this link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLAC
In case your Audio-Tool is not able to play this data we recommend the VNC Player which can be used entirely free of charge. Download available here: https://en.vlc.de/
#questfox major update alert: 41 languages supported by questfox speech module for research #therealvoiceofthecustomer
Posted: 7. October 2019 Filed under: Speech2Text, Uncategorized | Tags: speech in research Comments Off on #questfox major update alert: 41 languages supported by questfox speech module for research #therealvoiceofthecustomer
We know that the answer to all questions of the universe is 42. And we are getting there soon and even beyond. In our constant development towards new forms of research interaction we are integrating more and more languages into questfox.
At this point in time we managed to integrate 8 different languages with their respective versions spread around the world. See our interactive map of supported languages
We are well aware of the fact that this only the beginning. We need to integrate the needs of the entire planet in order to bring continents back together again. We are pangea labs and we are establishing one world of understanding with no boarders in our minds.
By now we group these functions under “Multimedia Insights”. Perhaps it is even time for a new paradigm in asking questions. Research will not remain the same when using speech.
We are looking forward to your suggestions about the use of speech in research. Contact us under info@questfox.com
questfox feature alert: Speech2Text Emotional Voice Analysis
Posted: 25. May 2019 Filed under: Multimedia Insights, Speech2Text | Tags: API, audEERING, Emotional Scan, questfox Leave a commentWe are very excited to announce the integration of an application programming interface (API) inside of questions. questfox is partnering with audEERING and their emotion analysis engine based on speech analytics. questfox is now offering a permanent link to the incredible innovative audio analytics tool from audEERING (Munich).
Some questfox users already have access to a new question type called Speech2Text Voice Analysis. The question type is available for some users under Multimedia Insights.
The question type is basically a speaking answer question type (with all the restrictions still in practice*), where the transcript is generated based on the audio file. On top of this functionality, the audiofile is sent via API to audEERING to the check for emotional patterns in the voice answer. Within seconds questfox is able to receive the answer in the form of numbers assigned to different emotional states of a person. These values are saved inside the question type and kept in the background for export or other purposes. For example they can be used right away used for different actions during the live Interview. The values are exported alongside other data in the export file.
At the moment we are still testing the performance of the integrated API inside a survey tool. After additional tests runs, this emotional tracking opportunity will allow totally different kinds of research.
This new function is not included in the standard questfox software package as it causes additional cost anytime it is used. After a defined testing time we will define the pricing for this fabulous new feature set. Little by little we will create templates of ideas how to use emotional tracking in the interview process. We are also looking forward to see our users fantastic ideas come to life with this new set of opportunities.
We are looking forward to see new forms of research with the integration of the cognitive API inside the survey tool questfox. There may be more cognitive services connected to questfox in the future. We strongly believe in the power of expert knowledge from different fields of expertise. We will continue developing new standards in the world of interviewing as our field of expertise. The new technology allows us to connect several best-in-class approaches in one tool. The innovative tool allowing this open world of connected intelligence is still questfox.
*Restrictions when using voice type questions inside of questfox.
Years ago we made the decision not to develop an app for questfox as this would restrict our users around the world. We still believe that the effort needed for users to download an install an app for market research hardly pays off. This is why we opted for an open approach based on internet browser technologies. The negative side of this is that even in 2019 it is difficult to get voice answers from a series of browsers who do not allow the usage of a microphone in a browser. The biggest obstacle here still is Apple who does not allow to use a microphone in a browser situation on their devices. We strongly recommend a technology funnel in your suvey filtering out the users of iOS and some outdated browsers like Internet Explorer. Good news: Even Microsoft got the message right and the new version of Microsoft Edge is able to work with microphone. We know that it will still take years before 100% of a population can be researched with this approach. For the time being we have to live with the 70% of users who can actually be interviewed with this technology.
An indicator whether this is possible can be found here https://caniuse.com/#search=mediastream
questfox is an award winning software now
Posted: 8. April 2019 Filed under: Speech2Text, Technology | Tags: GOR Leave a commentThe questfox development team is part of the research team that could win the best practice award 2019 of the DGOF (German Society for Online Research) with the study
„Automation of the Real Voice of the Customer.
Use of massive audio and video interaction in online interviews“
Using the new questfox features of voice and video recording with completely automated transcriptions, the jury found the approach worth award the prestigious best practice award.
For us this is a great honor, having achieved this with our innovative way of enabling research. There is more to come, but we will always depend on researchers integrating our ideas into their projects.
Thanks to Holger Lütters and HTW Berlin, thanks to Malte Freksa and GapFish and thanks to Marc Egger and insius for making this possible together with us.
If you could not make to the presentation, here it is again:
Best Practice Award Competition Presentation at GOR2019
#Gurkensalat: Historical innovation in market research with questfox
Posted: 11. June 2018 Filed under: Multimedia Insights, Speech2Text | Tags: Gurkensalat Leave a comment“Das Pferd frisst keinen Gurkensalat.”
Translation: “The horse does not eat cucumber salad.”
This is the first sentence ever spoken in telecommunications as used by the German inventor Philipp Reis, who invented the phone call years before Graham Bell had the idea patented and became world famous.
Reis called his invention “Telephon” which later became the international name for something we use on a daily basis.
Voice interaction is going new ways. We are always trying to change the market research game and are very proud to present the first pure digital speech interaction in market research powered by questfox.
The new questfox feature of Text2Speech lets you create speaking questionnaires. Any text implemented is read out loud to the respondent by an artificial voice. Together with our already developed Voice question type functions we are looking forward to see complete questionnaires without ever using text anymore.
We are not yet there, but this is an attack on the classic telephone interview. We are not only looking for the reduction of cost when developing such an approach, but we are also trying to create interviews of higher quality because of the standardization of the spoken interview.
A big plus is the opportunity to use questlogix and analytic tools in the background. A fully functional digital voice interview would outperform the classic approach by far. It is faster, of higher quality and definitively cheaper.
To honor Philipp Reis, the courageous German inventor, we invite you to test these functions under the hashtag #Gurkensalat. Let us see, what this technology brings.
At the moment we start doing our testing in the German language only. English is soon to follow with the opportunity to select different voices.
questfox Multimedia Insights Toolbox launched: Voice and Camera Insights for market research
Posted: 22. January 2018 Filed under: Multimedia Insights, Speech2Text | Tags: Multimedia Insights Leave a comment
The questfox development team proudly announces the completion of the Multimedia Insights toolbox. New features in the world of asking questions are available in questfox. Apart from clicks and sliders, we are developing new forms of interactions with still & moving pictures and additional voice features.
The new “Multimedia Insights” toolbox offers 5 different question types which are supposed to trigger the willigness to answer based on new interaction formats. It is supposed to work browser based without application installed. The only thing you need is a modern browser supporting the use of a microfone or a camera.
The following features can now be selected inside of questfox:
The idea of our development comes from a pop song: Ain’t no stopping us now.
questfox ahead of times compared to Apple when it comes to media capturing
Posted: 5. September 2017 Filed under: Speech2Text | Tags: Apple, canisuse.com, Device Agnostic, questfox, Talk2Me Leave a commentWe are very proud of our most recent development in speech2text recognition and automated analysis for market research. While still testing the new technology we face issues with some browsers in the market. Our approach is “device agnostic” and should be functional independently from devices or operating systems.
A lot of decision makers tend to use Apple devices and struggle with the new Talk2Me functionalities on their very expensive phones. They right away believe that something is wrong with questfox. Sorry guys. We are ahead of times in terms of development compared to Apple when it comes to media capturing in browser. This time it is not us. It is Apple slowing down innovation.
For the first time in our development we have to aknowledge, that we cannot keep that device agnostic promise for our most recent development. Apparently our developers are ahead of the development of Apple with Safari. The new multimedia functions inside of questfox will only become usable on iOS and Safari with the launch of their new version 11. We are hoping for a quick release within the Apple environment, but this is definitively outside of our reach.
If you want to stay updated about the different functionalities check this website from time to time: http://caniuse.com/#search=getUserMedia()
P.S. Internet Explorer is officially dead, but still operating on millions of computers. Hopefully Apple is forcing updates into their user base. Anyhow we try to stay in the first row of innovation knowing that we will lose some people sticking to older technology.
Talk2Me: questfox Digital Research Voice Assistant goes online
Posted: 15. August 2017 Filed under: Speech2Text, Technology | Tags: Digital Research Assistant Leave a commentWe are happy to announce, that a whole new category of breathtaking question types is out now and available in questfox.
In the CREATE section you will now a find a new category called “User Media”.
Besides the function of a Photo upload we have fantastic new question sets ready to be used.
Talk2Me
questfox Digital Research Voice Assistant:
Automation in market research with speech2text technologies
Talk with devices becomes normal
Alexa, Cortana, and Ok, Google are currently the standard voice commands to ask for a digital assistant for help. Now a digital voice assistant is available for the first time in support of a market research interviews.
The team of pangea labs is dedicated passionately to the task of developing mobile methods for market research. Our software-as-a-service survey solution questfox now progressed to a milestone in the development of the survey interaction. It is with great pleasure that we announce today the implementation of a significant step in the development towards mobile methods. We present the questfox voice assistant Talk2Me: a fully integrated speech-to-text solution for verbal survey responses in the context of digital interviews.
MP3 to written text
A customer approached us with the idea to integrate original voice comments from customers in into market research using voice recording. So far not a new idea. As there are already similar methods available, we did not only wanted to meet this requirement, but converted the desire directly into a technical context of digital marketing research under the premise of increased automation. In the age of automation of market research, we did not only want to work with spoken text fragments work as MP3 file, but offer an integrated solution that solves the problem of analyzing large amounts of text. To deliver these verbal answers directly to an evaluation, we have in addition to the voice recorder technology implemented a speech-to-text feature, which transforms the spoken language into written text.
Three new audio question types for market research available in questfox
Total questfox now has three new types of questions for language market research:
| questfox question type | Functionality |
 |
Audio Recorder:The Audio Recorder records spoken language and allows later to listen to the recorded language. This type of question is suitable for sound bites from consumers. In a classical research process, this type of question would have to be transcribed later. |
 |
Talk2Me: This new type of question translates the spoken language into text on the fly. The user can then adjust and correct the text before continuing. The recording can be triggered multiple times within this issue in order to give longer thought into sections on record. |
 |
Background Speech2text: The first tests with live converting spoken language into written text has frightened some users. To avoid this effect, a variant has been implemented in questfox. With this question type the transformation takes place in the background. Here, the interviewee does not see the transformation of his spoken language while answering. |
All new questfox question types, the original audio format, and therefore are available for later purposes, such as integration into a client presentation.
questfox opens up new worlds of interaction in market research. We do not yet know all the consequences, but expect massive changes in the interaction of research interviews.
Next step: sentiment analysis via API
The text data is ready for analysis in questfox with the existing evaluation tools. Creation of tagclouds etc. are right away possible. The next step is to integrate an API for semantic analysis of the text data. The intensive cooperation with the Cologne expert for textual analysis, insius, it will be possible to analyze the spoken texts later in form of semantic analysis.
Thus, we offer a total new way of data collection and automated analysis methods for the market research industry.
Market research internationally and soon globally
This seemingly small idea could lead to an increase of the use of consumer opinions. The written statement of the open text responses has always been a question of education of the interviewee and his ability and willingness to use a keyboard to express himself. In the future there will be fewer socio-demographic differences in the degree of filling of open answers. The digital voice assistant could even interview audiences who do not feel very comfortable in the written comments. They can now give their opinion openly and perhaps more spontaneously.
This new development will be perhaps more important, when we look in the direction of less developed countries with a low degree of literacy. With the digital language assistant in market research, it will be possible to interview people, who cannot read or write. The new technology will lead to larger target groups can be developed that were not accessible to market research so far. This is very advantageous for the questfox Digital Research Voice Assistant automatically detects the spoken language and transmits the text. Interviewing in English, German, Spanish, Italian and French are not a problem today. Other languages will follow.
questfox Digital Research Voice Assistant Process Overview of
Requirements for the Digital Research questfox Voice Assistant
When searching for device-agnostic solutions, we strive to open the technology to as many people as possible without any additional effort needed. We have therefore targeted technologies that already allow interaction with language. Not all even modern browsers will be able to make speech recognition available in the context of a browser interaction. The questfox digital research voice assistant can therefore only be used when the browser technology supports a voice interaction. At the moment these are the browser from Google (Chrome), Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. To our great regret Apple Safari is not yet allowing such technology. With this technology setup it should be possible to carry out mobile speech questionnaires without installing an app.
Support of mobile Apps
We work in the next step in implementing the browser software into the questfox mobile research app, in which we ask the user’s permission for the acquisition of speech, so to use the microphone before interacting.
Disadvantages and fears
The first voices are raised, are afraid of digital assistants and suggest a permanent monitoring by activated microphones. We take these concerns very seriously and want to grant full control of their own responses collected through a survey questfox, the user. That is why with Talk2Me a two stage process available, where the user can first listen to his speech again and can make corrections even in the converted text form before he submits it. We will explore in usability testing whether this variant is acceptance.
We believe to be the first to offer this in German. Other languages are possible. It is then just a matter of the organization of the interview, if multiple languages are to be mixed in a study.
Costs
The costs are negligible compared to the currently performed manually transcribing voice files almost. The cloud-based model takes into account the time actually used, we provide our customer. This can vary greatly depending on the project. To avoid the first fear of contact, we plan to offer flat-rate packages that vary depending on the size, number of languages and requirements used in the evaluation.
For existing questfox users the access is for free for the moment. We expect you to make a fair use of the new functions.
questfox News 