The Speaker That Argues Back

Elio and Camila have a smart speaker in their kitchen. They use it to play music and set timers.

Elio dan Camila punya pengeras suara pintar di dapur mereka. Mereka memakainya untuk memutar musik dan mengatur pengatur waktu.

This week, the speaker starts acting strange. Camila asks it to play jazz music, but it plays rock instead.

Minggu ini, pengeras suara itu mulai bertingkah aneh. Camila memintanya memutar musik jazz, tetapi yang terputar malah rock.

"That's not what I asked for," Camila says. She tries again, but the same thing happens.

"Bukan itu yang kuminta," kata Camila. Ia mencoba lagi, tetapi hal yang sama terjadi.

Elio asks the speaker to set a timer for ten minutes. A voice answers, "Timer set for thirty minutes."

Elio meminta pengeras suara itu mengatur pengatur waktu selama sepuluh menit. Sebuah suara menjawab, "Pengatur waktu diatur selama tiga puluh menit."

"This speaker doesn't listen well today," Elio says.

"Pengeras suara ini tidak mendengarkan dengan baik hari ini," kata Elio.

They check the speaker's settings on their phone app. Everything looks normal.

Mereka memeriksa pengaturan pengeras suara itu di aplikasi ponsel. Semuanya tampak normal.

That evening, their neighbor knocks on the door. "Sorry to bother you," she says. "Does your speaker also say strange things?"

Malam itu, tetangga mereka mengetuk pintu. "Maaf mengganggu," katanya. "Apakah pengeras suara kalian juga mengatakan hal-hal aneh?"

Camila laughs. "Yes! It plays the wrong music and sets the wrong timers."

Camila tertawa. "Ya! Memutar musik yang salah dan mengatur waktu yang salah."

"I think our speakers hear each other," the neighbor says. "Our kitchens share a wall, and the sound travels through it."

"Kurasa pengeras suara kita saling mendengar," kata tetangga itu. "Dapur kita berbagi satu dinding, dan suaranya merambat lewat dinding itu."

Elio checks the wall between the apartments. It's thin, just like the neighbor says.

Elio memeriksa dinding di antara kedua apartemen itu. Dindingnya tipis, persis seperti kata tetangga itu.

"That explains it," Elio says. "Your speaker probably hears our commands too."

"Pantas saja," kata Elio. "Pengeras suaramu mungkin juga mendengar perintah kami."

They agree to use different wake words for their speakers. The next morning, the music finally plays correctly.

Mereka sepakat memakai kata pemicu yang berbeda untuk pengeras suara masing-masing. Keesokan paginya, musiknya akhirnya terputar dengan benar.