O-LevelComputer ScienceAutomated and emerging technologies2210/12 · Oct/Nov 2025 · Q716 Marks

A house has a smart speaker that can take voice commands as input. A person in the house can tell the smart speaker to play music or audio books.

(a)The smart speaker cannot be described as a robot. Explain why the smart speaker is not a robot.[3]
(b)Identify the input device that allows voice commands to be used as input.[1]
(c)The smart speaker has machine learning capabilities. Explain how the smart speaker can use machine learning to improve the voice command input.[4]
(d)The smart speaker is an example of an embedded system. Explain why the smart speaker is an embedded system.[2]
(e)The music and audio books that are played by the smart speaker are stored in cloud storage. Give two advantages of storing the music and audio books in cloud storage. 1 2[2]
(f)(i)The data for the music and audio books needs to be checked for errors after being transmitted from the cloud. Explain how errors may occur in the data during transmission.[2]
(f)(ii)Give two error detection methods that could be used to check for errors in the data after transmission. 1 2[2]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[3] • It does not have a mechanical structure • It does not have any actuators • ... so it cannot move itself
[1] Microphone
[4] Any four from: For example: • Gather data from the same/different voices // It can ask a user to say lots of different words • Analyse/identify patterns in a user's voice • It can adapt its own processes • It can learn to identify a user's voice • Stores successful/unsuccessful voice commands • It can learn different ways of making the same request • It can learn the different pronunciations // It can learn different accents • It can learn by listening to lots of different voices • It can learn to ignore any background/environmental noise if a user is speaking
[2] Any two from: • It has a single/limited function • It has dedicated hardware • It has a microprocessor • Its function is not easily changed
[2] Any two from: For example: • The music/books can be easily accessed from any smart speaker • The user doesn't need to purchase a secondary storage device for the books/music // Smart speaker doesn't need a large amount of secondary storage • The user doesn't need to maintain the storage needed for the books/music • Smart speaker can be smaller in size (as it doesn't need large amounts of secondary storage) • Almost unlimited storage available for the books/music // Easy to increase storage capacity needed
[2] Any two from: • Data could be lost • Data could be gained • Data could be changed • Skewing of data could occur • Interference could occur • Crosstalk could occur • Data collisions could occur • Data packets could time out/reach their hop count
[2] Any two from: • Parity byte check • Parity block check • Checksum • Echo check • ARQ