# Who is the Voice of Your Robot House? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558 "2007-05-10T16:01:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/1 "2007-05-10T16:01:26Z")
Welcome to the home of tomorrow! Your new house has a variety of integrated computerized systems regulating security, light, temperature, automating simple maintainance, and even doing some chores for you! In addition, you can access online information by voice command anywhere in your home, which your computer can then read out loud to you. Now, your household computer isn’t a true AI, but it is largely interfaced by voice. You have a variety of voice profiles to choose from, made by virtually any actor you’d like. This is the voicewho tells you that the dishwasher is done, that the room has been vacuumed, that you need to call the furnace man for maintainance (or that it’s already done so), that you have 4 new voicemail messages, and that your favorite team lost 6-4 last night. Who is the voice of your house? My choices: Majel Barret- For that Star Trek flavor. [This alarm clock](http://voco.uk.com/) demonstrates the appeal of a Stephen Fry model. Similarly, Efrem Zimbalast Jr. (Alfred on most of Batman: The Animated Series) ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/2 "2007-05-10T16:18:53Z")
Douglas Rain (HAL 9000). I’d even change my name to “Dave” to get the effect right. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/3 "2007-05-10T16:25:03Z")
Definitely [Stephen Fry](http://www.voco.uk.com/) I’ve always thought I’d love to have him both comfort me and insult me with his lovely voice. ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/4 "2007-05-10T16:29:42Z")
Leonard Nimoy - duh! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/5 "2007-05-10T16:29:44Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] Definitely [Stephen Fry](http://www.voco.uk.com/) I’ve always thought I’d love to have him both comfort me and insult me with his lovely voice. [/QUOTE] I’d rather have Hugh Laurie play “House.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/6 "2007-05-10T16:34:22Z")
**Sean Connery** “My air filtersh need changing!” “It’sh time to get up! Up and at 'em m’boy!” “My shecond floor toilet ish leaking. Shall I call a plumber for ye, lad?” ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/7 "2007-05-10T16:37:15Z")
That robot butler in “Sleeper”. Seems like that was Douglas Rain, too! ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/8 "2007-05-10T16:38:08Z")
[QUOTE=muldoonthief] Douglas Rain (HAL 9000). I’d even change my name to “Dave” to get the effect right. [/QUOTE] My choice too. Every time it spoke, I’d think, ‘I wonder if it’s plotting to kill me’. And that would be FUN. Because that’s the kind of guy I am. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/9 "2007-05-10T16:43:09Z")
I’d go with [John DiMaggio](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/), aka Bender. “I am house! Please insert girder!” Ha! I just realized that I’ve never before in my life typed (or written, I don’t think) the word “girder!” Try it! ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/10 "2007-05-10T16:43:50Z")
Alan Rickman. Oh, but I’d want a switch to move to “generic Irish lass” at times. Just when I need a pick me up. ---
**Author:** ![Dunawake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dunawake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunawake)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/11 "2007-05-10T17:14:55Z")
I think Michael Caine would be just about perfect. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/12 "2007-05-10T17:16:59Z")
Jane Seymour during the day, Anne Archer at night. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/13 "2007-05-10T17:25:33Z")
[QUOTE=JSexton] Alan Rickman. Oh, but I’d want a switch to move to “generic Irish lass” at times. Just when I need a pick me up. [/QUOTE] Noooooooo! He’s mine! Or Tim Curry. I guess I could have Tim Curry. ---
**Author:** ![foxymoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@foxymoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxymoron)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/14 "2007-05-10T17:27:33Z")
John Hillerman as Higgins from _Magnum P.I._. ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/15 "2007-05-10T17:28:56Z")
Eartha Kitt. Her voice would make even doing laundry sexy. It would be incredibly difficult not to be aroused when told it is time for bed. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/16 "2007-05-10T17:35:09Z")
I would want several settings. Sigourney Weaver Daffy Duck Morgan Freeman ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/17 "2007-05-10T17:39:10Z")
I think I’d like a multi-personality house with differant voices for differant funtions. Address-the-House reply- Computer voice from Star Trek TOS, that mechanical one. “Computer. Conect me to my email.” Computer- “Working” Email/ online read out- House voice from _Eureka_- generic soft female voice Home Maint.- Caretaker Willy Security- RobCop I may come up with others in a while. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/18 "2007-05-10T17:44:12Z")
After he did the voice in **Demon Seed** , how could you not choose **Robert Vaughn**. Well, maybe **Pierce Brosnan** , after that Simpson’s episode that riffs on Demon Seed. I’d take Douglas Rain, but he’s been overdone. Although I think tht, if Dave Barry gets one, Rain ought to do the voice. (“I’m sorry, Dave – I can’t do that…”) ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/19 "2007-05-10T18:27:09Z")
Well, mine have already been chosen: Tim Curry or Leonard Nimoy. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558/20 "2007-05-10T18:31:27Z")
James Earl Jones. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-voice-of-your-robot-house/403558.md?page=2)