Push-to-Talk

An interaction pattern where a user presses and holds (or taps) a dedicated button to signal the start of an input — historically used in two-way radios, now common in voice assistants and conversational interfaces as an alternative to continuous listening. In accessibility contexts, push-to-talk is contrasted with talk-to-talk (wake-word) approaches: it avoids accidental activations and always-on microphones/cameras, which is particularly relevant for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users evaluating sign-language-enabled assistant devices where an always-on camera raises surveillance and privacy concerns. Push-to-talk trades hands-free convenience for reliability and privacy, and typically requires the user to carry or reach for an additional device such as a remote or smartphone.