Lacu
vocalize and reflect on a problem in order to find a solution
Lacu is an secure, anonymous, wall-mounted interaction with artificial intelligence (AI) that encourages users to vocalize and reflect on a problem in order to find a solution. Inspired by peoples’ tendency to suppress negative feelings, Lacu encourages the user to verbalise her problems or anxieties, and thereby stimulate a different area of the brain. The Lacu prototype incorporates technology from IBM’s Watson supercomputer to detect and then visualize keywords that users say. At the end of each session, Lacu provides a printout receipt, which gives an edited overview of what was said. Although it has various applications, Lacu could be particularly effective in the workplace, where its AI can securely and anonymously analyse recurring issues and flag them as areas in need of remedy.