Continuing the work undertaken for MartMuseumBot, where users can interact with the museum through written conversation, the experimentation has moved on to vocal conversations with the public at home or, more generally, in a place other than the Museum. 

Alexa belongs to the universe of technological devices able to listen, understand and answer questions solely through voice. These “home assistants” come in a variety of sizes and shapes and are able to explain the meaning of a word, play a specific song, or perform mathematical operations simply by asking a question. These devices can be personalised and programmed through so-called “Skills”. 

Mart's Skill is a tool designed to reach a large number of users (who are already familiar with this technology) through contents related to the Museum and its holdings. The interesting feature is that many stories, in the form of a “bite-size" or short anecdotes, reveal little known facts about the architecture of the Museum, the works in the Collections, and the archive documents, which are not always accessible to visitors. 

Through voice recognition and voice synthesis visitors will be able to listen to the many stories of Mart before or after their visit; they will be able to start or end their day with a historical and artistic titbit designed for all those who wish to know more, from art lovers to the uninitiated. Of course, basic information on exhibitions and events, opening times and contact details for the three Mart sites is also included. Accessing content (available in Italian) is easy! Just ask: "Alexa, apri Mart Rovereto."

Developed in collaboration with Trento company Dimension, the project was unveiled on Saturday 21 September 2019 in the #FuoriPiazza section of Trento Smart City Week, an event dedicated to the digitalisation of public administration, society and the local area.