#Voice Biometrics

[precallai]

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Call Centers: Advantages, Challenges, and Innovations

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the call center industry by automating customer interactions, streamlining workflows, and improving service quality. AI-driven technologies, such as virtual assistants, speech analytics, and predictive insights, enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. However, integrating AI into call centers comes with challenges that need strategic solutions. This article explores the key benefits, challenges, and emerging innovations in AI-powered call centers.

Key Advantages of AI in Call Centers

1. Enhanced Customer Support

AI chatbots and virtual assistants provide instant responses, reducing customer wait times and ensuring round-the-clock availability. Natural Language Processing (NLP) enables these systems to interpret and respond to inquiries with human-like accuracy.

2. Boosted Agent Efficiency

AI supports call center agents by automating routine tasks, suggesting relevant responses, and summarizing interactions in real time. This allows human agents to focus on more complex and high-value conversations.

3. Smart Call Routing

AI-powered systems analyze customer history, sentiment, and query type to route calls to the most suitable agent, reducing resolution times and enhancing first-call resolution rates.

4. Predictive Analytics for Proactive Engagement

AI analyzes customer data to forecast behavior, identify potential churn risks, and suggest tailored solutions. This proactive approach helps businesses retain customers and improve satisfaction.

5. Cost Efficiency and Scalability

By automating a significant portion of customer interactions, AI-driven call centers reduce operational costs. AI also enables businesses to scale support operations efficiently without a proportional increase in staff.

Challenges of AI Integration in Call Centers

1. Handling Complex Queries

While AI is effective for routine inquiries, complex or emotionally sensitive issues often require human intervention. Balancing AI automation with human support is essential for optimal service.

2. Data Security and Privacy Compliance

Call centers manage sensitive customer information, making compliance with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA critical. AI systems must include strong security protocols to safeguard data.

3. Legacy System Integration

Many call centers operate on outdated infrastructure, which may not be fully compatible with modern AI solutions. Upgrading or implementing middleware can be costly and time-consuming.

4. Customer Trust and AI Acceptance

Some customers prefer human support over AI-driven interactions. Ensuring that AI systems provide accurate, empathetic, and context-aware responses while allowing seamless handoffs to human agents is crucial.

5. Mitigating AI Bias

AI models can inherit biases from training data, leading to inaccurate or unfair responses. Continuous monitoring and refining of AI algorithms are necessary to ensure unbiased and equitable customer service.

Cutting-Edge Innovations in AI Call Centers

1. Real-Time Sentiment Analysis

AI-driven sentiment analysis detects customer emotions in real time, enabling agents to adjust their approach and prioritize urgent cases accordingly.

2. Voice Biometrics for Secure Authentication

AI-powered voice recognition verifies customer identities using unique vocal patterns, reducing reliance on passwords and enhancing security.

3. AI-Enhanced Speech Analytics

Speech analytics tools analyze call interactions to uncover customer trends, identify compliance gaps, and suggest service improvements.

4. Hyper-Personalized Customer Interactions

AI-driven CRM systems leverage customer behavior and history to offer personalized recommendations, promotions, and support solutions.

5. AI-Powered Multilingual Support

Real-time language translation powered by AI enables call centers to serve global customers seamlessly, eliminating language barriers.

Conclusion

AI is redefining call center operations by improving efficiency, personalizing customer interactions, and reducing costs. However, successful AI adoption requires addressing challenges related to security, integration, and customer trust. As AI technology advances, businesses that strategically implement AI-powered solutions will gain a competitive edge in delivering exceptional customer service

[simplyforensic]

Speaker Identification and its Multifaceted role in Forensic Science

Speaker identification stands as a pivotal technique, enabling investigators to pinpoint the originator of a given audio recording based on their voice patterns. This method has gained substantial traction across various legal contexts, from criminal investigations to intelligence operations. As our world becomes increasingly digitized, the ability to accurately identify a person by their voice…

[fuckinart]

(they'll never understand) How could I ever understand? No, I don't have to understand. I don't wanna understand. So I will never understand. (we could have everything)

[readandwriteclub]

Boycott McDonald's

[pixelizes]

Top UI/UX Design Trends in 2025

What’s Shaping the Future?

The world of UI/UX design is constantly evolving, and 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year with groundbreaking innovations. As technology advances, user expectations rise, making it crucial for designers to stay ahead of the curve. In this blog, we explore the top UI/UX trends of 2025 that are redefining digital experiences.

For more articles please visit: https://pixelizes.com

AI-Powered Personalization

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing a crucial role in UX design, offering hyper-personalized experiences. AI-driven interfaces adapt to user behavior, preferences, and past interactions, delivering content, product recommendations, and layouts that feel tailor-made. Predictive UX — where AI anticipates user needs before they even take action — is expected to become mainstream.

Voice and Conversational UI

Voice interfaces and AI-driven chatbots are revolutionizing digital interactions. With the rise of smart assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, more brands are incorporating voice UX to create seamless, hands-free experiences. Voice search optimization and conversational UI will be critical for improving accessibility and user engagement.

Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR) Integration

AR and VR are no longer limited to gaming; they are making a strong impact on e-commerce⁠, education⁠, and healthcare. Immersive UI experiences, such as virtual try-ons and AR-based navigation, will become standard features, enhancing customer engagement.

Minimalistic & Functional Design (Less is More)

Minimalism is evolving into functional minimalism, where every design element serves a clear purpose. Flat design, ample white space, and bold typography are becoming more prominent, ensuring faster loading times and better accessibility.

Dark Mode 2.0

Dark mode remains popular, but in 2025, it’s getting smarter. Adaptive dark mode will adjust based on the time of day or ambient light conditions, reducing eye strain. More applications and websites will adopt dynamic theming that shifts between light and dark modes seamlessly.

3D & Immersive Elements

With advanced rendering technologies, 3D elements are becoming a key trend in UI design. Interactive 3D visuals, animated icons, and depth effects will add realism to digital products, making them more engaging and visually appealing.

Gesture-Based Interactions

As touchscreen devices become more advanced, gesture-based controls will replace traditional buttons and menus. Swipes, pinches, and taps will make navigation more intuitive, especially in mobile applications and wearable devices.

Biometrics for Seamless Authentication

Passwords are becoming a thing of the past. Biometric authentication — such as facial recognition, fingerprint scanning, and even behavioral authentication — will enhance security while making logins frictionless.

Ethical and Inclusive Design

Inclusivity and accessibility are now top priorities in UI/UX design. Designers are focusing on color contrast, text readability, and voice-assisted features to ensure that digital experiences are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. Ethical design also means reducing addictive UX patterns that manipulate user behavior.

Sustainability and Eco-Friendly UI

Sustainable design is taking center stage in 2025. Digital products are adopting energy-efficient UI designs, dark mode for power savings, and eco-conscious design principles to reduce the carbon footprint of websites and apps.

Final Thoughts

As we move into 2025, UI/UX designers must stay ahead by embracing AI, immersive experiences, and ethical design principles. The future of design is not just about aesthetics—it’s about creating meaningful, accessible, and sustainable experiences for users.

For more articles please visit: https://pixelizes.com

[haru-kuneko]

To those who've been following BIOMETRICS on Wattpad, you'd know that I also have a dreamcast page that list possible celebrities who could voice any of the characters. This was made around 2021.

I also might have Cherami Leigh (who also voiced Michiru from "BNA: Brand New Animal") to voice Mina given Tara Strong's Islamophobic and pro-Israel stances on social media. Yes, Gong Yoo still gets to voice Mr. Lee.

When I made the dream cast, it wasn't complete and didn't know who'd perfectly voice the other characters well such as the twins and Aunt Judy. I was considering having Bryce Papenbrook (VA of Cat Noir) voice Kristian and Peter. Aunt Judy would best be played by Kari Wahlgren (the VA of Haruko from Fooly Cooly) as it turns out the woman can also sound like a mature woman.

As for Agent Z, he will be voiced by Oliver Wyman, the voice of Manta Oyamada from "Shaman King," in case Richard Horvitz (whom I imagined would provide his voice) happens to be too busy working on Helluva Boss.

Just know that the dreamcast is based on my own personal opinions and not meant to be taken seriously. I also am aware the others I've listened aren't even voice actors and won’t literally be able to afford all of them. They are likely to change overtime either because of past controversies or they may not be able to sound the same as before. Also, here’s a crazy fact: I just learned what a voice claim is and it's basically what I'm doing right now.

I remember someone once stated they used to do voice claims except they don't do it publicly in fear that people would eventually use it against them in case some of the individuals they mentioned turned out to be problematic.

[aarunresearcher]

United States voice biometrics market size is projected to exhibit a growth rate (CAGR) of 16.85% during 2024-2032. The increasing focus on security and the need for robust authentication methods, the rising demand in financial services, the rapid technological advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), and the shift towards multi-factor authentication (MFA) are some of the factors propelling the market.

[europalocks-blog]

Convenience

Keyless Entry: smart lock eliminates the need for physical keys. You can unlock door with a smartphone app, a key fob, or even through biometric methods like fingerprints.

Remote Access: many smart locks allow you to unlock your door remotely, which is useful if you need to grant access to someone while you’re away.

Enhanced Security

Access Logs: Smart locks can provide detailed logs of who entered and when, adding an extra layer of monitoring and control.

Temporary access codes: you can create temporary or one-time access codes for guest’s service providers or other, ensuring that only authorized individuals can enter.

Integration with smart home systems

Automation: smart locks can integrate with home automation systems, allowing for seamless control along with other smart devices

Voice control: many smart locks are compatible with voice assistant like amazon alexa, google assistant enabling hands-free operation.

Improved Accessibility

For Those with Mobility issues: smart locks can be easier to operate for people with disabilities or mobility issues, as they often offer touchless or simplified access method.

No more Lockouts: with keyless entry the chances of locking out are significantly reduced, which is especially helpful in busy or stressful situations.

Durability and reliability:

Weather Resistant: many smart locks are designed or withstands various weather condition, making them suitable for external doors,

Battery Backup: most smart locks are battery operated with a backup power source, ensuring they remain functional even during power outages.

Ease of Management

Centralized control: if you have multiple smart devices, managing them through a single app can streamlined operations and make home management more efficient.

Auto Lock Feature: Some smart locks come with auto-lock functions that ensure the door locks automatically after a set period, enhancing security.

Customizable Access Options

Personalization: Users can set different levels of access for family members, friends or service providers and easily modify or revoke permission as needed.

Is it worth the investment?

Initial Cost: smart locks typically have a higher upfront cost compared to traditional locks; however, this cost may be offset by the convenience and security features they provide.

Ongoing costs: some smart locks may require subscription fees for advanced features or cloud services, so it’s important to factor in these potential ongoing expenses.

Technology Dependence: Relying on technology means you’ll need to stay updated on software updates and ensure your devices are compatible with your smart lock.

Overall if you value convenience enhanced security and integration with smart home systems a smart lock can be a worthwhile investment. It’s important to assess your specific needs and budget to determine if the benefits align with your lifestyle and preferences.

To know more about the electronics locks: https://www.europalocks.com/electronic-locks

#smartlock #smartdoorlocks #electronicdoorlocks #smartlocksforhome #smarthomedoorlock #elock #bestdigitallock #digitallockformaindoor #digitaldoorlocksforhome #keylesssmartlock #smartfingerprintdoorlock #smarthouselock #electronicdoorlockwithremotecontrol #smartlockformaindoor #digitalhomelocks #digitalsmartdoorlock #electronicdoorlockwithremote #digitaldoorlockprice #smartmaindoorlock #bestdigitallockformaindoor #maindoorsmartlock #electronicdoorlockprice #smartdoorlockprice #electroniclocksformaindoor #smartdigitaldoorlocks #smartlockondoor #wifismartlock

[readandwriteclub]

It wasn't the fry employee; it was corporate remote operations -- McDonald's is a big user of facial recognition, voiceprint recognition, and A.I.

The economy is in such shambles even Judas isn’t getting his 30 pieces

[precallai]

How AI Is Revolutionizing Contact Centers in 2025

As contact centers evolve from reactive customer service hubs to proactive experience engines, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as the cornerstone of this transformation. In 2025, modern contact center architectures are being redefined through AI-based technologies that streamline operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive measurable business outcomes.

This article takes a technical deep dive into the AI-powered components transforming contact centers—from natural language models and intelligent routing to real-time analytics and automation frameworks.

1. AI Architecture in Modern Contact Centers

At the core of today’s AI-based contact centers is a modular, cloud-native architecture. This typically consists of:

NLP and ASR engines (e.g., Google Dialogflow, AWS Lex, OpenAI Whisper)

Real-time data pipelines for event streaming (e.g., Apache Kafka, Amazon Kinesis)

Machine Learning Models for intent classification, sentiment analysis, and next-best-action

RPA (Robotic Process Automation) for back-office task automation

CDP/CRM Integration to access customer profiles and journey data

Omnichannel orchestration layer that ensures consistent CX across chat, voice, email, and social

These components are containerized (via Kubernetes) and deployed via CI/CD pipelines, enabling rapid iteration and scalability.

2. Conversational AI and Natural Language Understanding

The most visible face of AI in contact centers is the conversational interface—delivered via AI-powered voice bots and chatbots.

Key Technologies:

Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR): Converts spoken input to text in real time. Example: OpenAI Whisper, Deepgram, Google Cloud Speech-to-Text.

Natural Language Understanding (NLU): Determines intent and entities from user input. Typically fine-tuned BERT or LLaMA models power these layers.

Dialog Management: Manages context-aware conversations using finite state machines or transformer-based dialog engines.

Natural Language Generation (NLG): Generates dynamic responses based on context. GPT-based models (e.g., GPT-4) are increasingly embedded for open-ended interactions.

Architecture Snapshot:

plaintext

CopyEdit

Customer Input (Voice/Text)

       ↓

ASR Engine (if voice)

       ↓

NLU Engine → Intent Classification + Entity Recognition

       ↓

Dialog Manager → Context State

       ↓

NLG Engine → Response Generation

       ↓

Omnichannel Delivery Layer

These AI systems are often deployed on low-latency, edge-compute infrastructure to minimize delay and improve UX.

3. AI-Augmented Agent Assist

AI doesn’t only serve customers—it empowers human agents as well.

Features:

Real-Time Transcription: Streaming STT pipelines provide transcripts as the customer speaks.

Sentiment Analysis: Transformers and CNNs trained on customer service data flag negative sentiment or stress cues.

Contextual Suggestions: Based on historical data, ML models suggest actions or FAQ snippets.

Auto-Summarization: Post-call summaries are generated using abstractive summarization models (e.g., PEGASUS, BART).

Technical Workflow:

Voice input transcribed → parsed by NLP engine

Real-time context is compared with knowledge base (vector similarity via FAISS or Pinecone)

Agent UI receives predictive suggestions via API push

4. Intelligent Call Routing and Queuing

AI-based routing uses predictive analytics and reinforcement learning (RL) to dynamically assign incoming interactions.

Routing Criteria:

Customer intent + sentiment

Agent skill level and availability

Predicted handle time (via regression models)

Customer lifetime value (CLV)

Model Stack:

Intent Detection: Multi-label classifiers (e.g., fine-tuned RoBERTa)

Queue Prediction: Time-series forecasting (e.g., Prophet, LSTM)

RL-based Routing: Models trained via Q-learning or Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) to optimize wait time vs. resolution rate

5. Knowledge Mining and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)

Large contact centers manage thousands of documents, SOPs, and product manuals. AI facilitates rapid knowledge access through:

Vector Embedding of documents (e.g., using OpenAI, Cohere, or Hugging Face models)

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Combines dense retrieval with LLMs for grounded responses

Semantic Search: Replaces keyword-based search with intent-aware queries

This enables agents and bots to answer complex questions with dynamic, accurate information.

6. Customer Journey Analytics and Predictive Modeling

AI enables real-time customer journey mapping and predictive support.

Key ML Models:

Churn Prediction: Gradient Boosted Trees (XGBoost, LightGBM)

Propensity Modeling: Logistic regression and deep neural networks to predict upsell potential

Anomaly Detection: Autoencoders flag unusual user behavior or possible fraud

Streaming Frameworks:

Apache Kafka / Flink / Spark Streaming for ingesting and processing customer signals (page views, clicks, call events) in real time

These insights are visualized through BI dashboards or fed back into orchestration engines to trigger proactive interventions.

7. Automation & RPA Integration

Routine post-call processes like updating CRMs, issuing refunds, or sending emails are handled via AI + RPA integration.

Tools:

UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Microsoft Power Automate

Workflows triggered via APIs or event listeners (e.g., on call disposition)

AI models can determine intent, then trigger the appropriate bot to complete the action in backend systems (ERP, CRM, databases)

8. Security, Compliance, and Ethical AI

As AI handles more sensitive data, contact centers embed security at multiple levels:

Voice biometrics for authentication (e.g., Nuance, Pindrop)

PII Redaction via entity recognition models

Audit Trails of AI decisions for compliance (especially in finance/healthcare)

Bias Monitoring Pipelines to detect model drift or demographic skew

Data governance frameworks like ISO 27001, GDPR, and SOC 2 compliance are standard in enterprise AI deployments.

Final Thoughts

AI in 2025 has moved far beyond simple automation. It now orchestrates entire contact center ecosystems—powering conversational agents, augmenting human reps, automating back-office workflows, and delivering predictive intelligence in real time.

The technical stack is increasingly cloud-native, model-driven, and infused with real-time analytics. For engineering teams, the focus is now on building scalable, secure, and ethical AI infrastructures that deliver measurable impact across customer satisfaction, cost savings, and employee productivity.

As AI models continue to advance, contact centers will evolve into fully adaptive systems, capable of learning, optimizing, and personalizing in real time. The revolution is already here—and it's deeply technical.

[decsef]

Biometría De Voz De Phonexia: Uso De La Tecnología De Reconocimiento De Voz Para Revolucionar La Seguridad

El reconocimiento de voz se ha convertido en una potente herramienta para mejorar la seguridad y la verificación de identidad en el campo de las tecnologías biométricas de vanguardia. Como pionero en el campo de la biometría de voz, Phonexia ha creado soluciones de vanguardia que utilizan los rasgos de voz distintivos de las personas para la autenticación. 

[tamarly-publishing]

The Evolution of Biometric Verification: From Fingerprinting to Multimodal Systems

Biometric verification solutions have marked a revolutionary shift in security and identification, propelled by significant technological advancements. This blog post delves into the historical evolution of biometric technologies, tracing their journey from simple fingerprinting methods to the sophisticated multimodal systems we see today, and highlights the increasing importance of these technologies in a hyper-connected world.

The Dawn of Biometrics

The inception of biometric verification can be traced back to fingerprinting, a method used for centuries for identifying individuals. However, the landscape of biometric technologies began to transform dramatically with digitalization and computing power. This transformation ushered in an era of innovation, developing more complex and accurate biometric systems.

The Advent of Multimodal Biometric Systems

Today, biometric verification has transcended beyond fingerprints, incorporating facial recognition, iris scans, voice recognition, and behavioral analytics. These multimodal systems leverage multiple biometric identifiers to enhance accuracy and security, offering robust solutions against fraud and unauthorized access.

Significance in Today's World

The need to secure sensitive information and facilities has never been more critical in our interconnected societies. Biometric verification stands at the forefront of this challenge, offering a reliable and efficient authentication across various domains such as finance, healthcare, transportation, and law enforcement.

The evolution of biometric verification solutions from basic fingerprinting to complex multimodal systems reflects the dynamic nature of technological advancements in the field. As these systems become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, understanding their development and significance is crucial for navigating the future of security and identification.

Buy our Report on The Future Biometric Verification Solutions

[vaiswr]

Voice Biometrics Market Size Worth USD 4.90 Billion by 2027

Voice biometrics is gaining traction owing to the high level of security they provide. They can be deployed in the mobile application as they provide safe authentication by means of a spoken password or passphrase. Voice biometric uses pitch, speech, range, and voice quality of a particular individual to permit usage.

The growing incidence of complex cyber-attacks is creating a need for a stronger defense system. Moreover, the emergence of innovative technology such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cloud computing will provide the market for voice biometric with growth opportunities. This technology is applicable in access security, forensic voice analysis, payments, and others. The growing importance of secrecy and confidentiality is driving the demand for the voice biometrics market.

[clockwayswrites]

Bird Brained, or something. Part 22

masterpost NGL this part might be really rough. This migraine is killing my, but I wanted to get it written.

“Just stay behind us, Mr. Wayne,” Maria Ramirez ordered.

Bruce nodded as he paced. Facts about her ran through his head without his bidding. Ex Air Force. Bruce had hired her after she left, angry and with an honorable discharge the Air Force hoped would keep her quiet while the man who assaulted her got a pension. She was a little hot headed, took shit from no one, and was impressively competent.

If she continued this way, she’d be Bruce’s choice for the next head of security.

He still didn’t want to listen to her.

His kids were at the end of that stairwell along with the Mad Hatter and several of the man’s goons. Bruce was confident in Robin and Red Robin’s abilities to protect themselves from the threat, but this was different. This was Damian and Tim.

Robin might be magic, but the child in the suit was just a child. And children could die.

Bruce shook his arms out to try and get rid of the nerves. He could afford the motion as Bruce Wayne where he couldn’t as Batman.

As Batman he could have been at the front of pack and already through the door.

Bruce measured his breathing, forcing it to slow.

Ramirez held up a fist. The rest of the security force readied themselves.

One—

Two—

Three—

They breached the door with shouts of ‘hands in the air’ and ‘get down on the ground’.

“I work here! Doctor Daniel Fenton, R&D,” Danny’s voice called out.

“Get on the ground, hands behind your head slowly,” Ramirez ordered.

Bruce burst out of the stairwell. “I can vouch for—” Wings. Danny had wings. He was still human, human enough, but he had inky black wings that were spread wide along with his raised hands. “—Dr. Fenton.”

Ramirez glanced at Bruce, but kept her tranq gun trained on Danny. “Sir?”

“I can vouch for Dr. Fenton, he’s a friend of the family,” Bruce said more evenly as he took in the rest of the scene.

There was a remarkable lack of blood for the bodies scattered across the small space. Some were unconscious while others clutched their heads. The floor was scattered with crushed mind control devices and the occasional feather. The Mad Hatter was as far back in the elevator as possible, mumbling about ravens and writing desks. Danny stood in front of the door to the safe room. His spread wings assured no one got past him. The outside of Danny’s wings were white, Bruce realized. It was like they were inverted from the larger bird form.

“Tim and Damian are in the safe room,” Danny said quickly, breaking through Bruce’s thoughts. “They’re not hurt.”

Bruce’s shoulders slumped. “Thank you.” He ran his hands over his face and sucked in a purposefully even breath. Then he dropped his hands and looked at the security squad. “Dr. Fenton’s meta status is a personal mater not to be discussed, am I clear?”

There was a course of ‘yes sir’ from security and a soft, relieved, ‘thank you’ from Danny. Bruce nodded and strode towards the safe room. He snagged Danny by the wrist as he passed and pulled the stunned man along with him.

“Bruce?”

“Thank you,” Bruce said again as he started the biometric scans for the safe room. His thumb ran rhythmically over the back of Danny’s hand. The skin there was soft, like the down feathers of a chick. “Thank you for protecting my boys.”

“Of course, I always will,” Danny said, sounding completely serious, though Bruce could feel Danny’s hand trembling in his own.

The vault like door hissed as the air seal released and it started to open. Bruce knew that Danny said that the boys were fine, but as soon as the door was open enough, Bruce pulled Danny into the room and the semblance of privacy that it offered.

“Are you alright? Are you both alright?” Bruce asked. He rested his hand on Tim’s cheek while he looked to Damian, who was standing against the side wall, arms angrily crossed.

“No one even laid a hand on us or got close,” Tim said. “Danny, Dr. Fenton, made sure of that.”

“Which was completely stupid,” Damian bit out, his words harsh and angry and hurt.

“Damian,” Danny tried.

“No! It was stupid! You willing deprived yourself of allies! If you insisted on us being in the safe room then you should have been in it also!”

Danny’s wings drooped. “Damian, honey, this… this form of mine is still new. I didn’t want to risk—”

“You said you wouldn’t hurt us.”

“I would never, but there’s still things that could go wrong—”

“Shut up!”

Danny flinched back at the should, wings pulled tight against his body. Then he took a carefully measured breath and made himself relax. The wings opened up again a little and, with clear uncertainty, Danny opened his arms.

With all the speed of his training, Damian dashed forward. He rammed into Danny hard and wrapped his arms around Danny, clutching him tightly. Danny leaned down a little. His wings came forward to wrap protectively around Bruce’s youngest.

“You are an idiot,” Damian said harshly into Danny’s sweater.

“Some times,” Danny agreed, “but it’s alright. We’re all safe. It’s alright, little chickadee.”