5 ms·

What If the Future of Technology Is in Your Ear?

42 points by caseyf7 10y ago

sna1l 10y ago
http://www.bragi.com/ http://www.bragi.com/ -- I think this company is trying to do something like this
Mindless2112 10y ago
Jarvis [1] seemed pretty neat in 2014 when Intel announced it, but I've heard nothing of it since. It seems like a much better bet than Google's Glass. [1] http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/6/5282416/intel-unveils-jarvis-its-smart-headset http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/6/5282416/intel-unveils-jarvi...
mgberlin 10y ago
Maybe I'm missing something but I can't seem to find the product being advertised in this article for sale anywhere.
TomFrost 10y ago
The problem I've always had with audio interfaces is that input is not private. Requests on public transportation are heard by many. Requests at home turn into a conversation with the roommate, spouse, or children. Requests walking down the street make others question the mental wellbeing of the person talking to him/herself. I'm reminded of the Ender's Game sequels in which the protagonist wears a small earpiece with an AI named Jane. He communicates with Jane by "subvocalizing" -- mentally saying the words, physically barely uttering a sound. The AI understands. A few years ago there was a TED talk (forgive me; unable to find the link) on which a technology was demoed to do something similar. Sensors placed around the throat, combined with EEG sensors around the temple, allowed a man to transmit text to a computer by following all the mental and muscle processes of speaking, stopping short of moving his lips in an obvious fashion or making sounds. The sensors allowed the computer to translate their input to actual words. Perfecting and miniaturizing that technology, then combining it with an in-ear AI, would be a game changer.
- amasad 10y ago
  I subvocalize when I read and it feels like I'm breathing the words. I think my vocal cords move too.
- melling 10y ago
  Yeah, you can always find a use case where something won't work then spend your time discussing why a solution won't work for you. However, I imagine that a lot of people would love the solution in many scenarios. Personally, I have no problem asking my phone a question when I'm walking down the street or driving. Basically, it would be nice to have the imperfect solution now then take it from there.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- lewisl9029 10y ago
  Agreed regarding the issues with audio interfaces. I'd personally love to experiment with a device with a Google Glass-type display, eye tracking to function as a virtual cursor, and a compact ring-like device to enable interactions with that cursor (such as tapping, dragging gestures, etc).
- rmac 10y ago
  The future is brain-to-text, where our thoughts get piped directly to Alexa/Siri/Cortana/Now http://www.kurzweilai.net/brain-to-text-system-converts-speech-brainwave-patterns-to-text http://www.kurzweilai.net/brain-to-text-system-converts-spee... No need to utter words in public.
  - ferongr 10y ago
    If we have the interface why stop at brain to text? Why not make the computer a part of our brains?
    - raddad 10y ago
      >If we have the interface why stop at brain to text? Why not make the computer a part of our brains? This is how the Borg came about. Actually I read about some guy who has a chip implanted which allows him to use his otherwise unusable hand. Right now it requires a bank of computers to function in the lab. Paralyzed man with breakthrough brain chip plays guitar video game, swipes credit card http://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/new-tech-helps-paralyzed-man-move-hand-with-mind http://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/new-tech-helps-paralyzed-m...
combatentropy 10y ago
What I would like is less complex but still very hard: wireless earphones that somehow self-charge, from radio signals, the sun, body movement, or whatever would let you leave them on all day and never have to worry about charging them. Couple that with a simple and easy way to switch between your phone and laptop. I mean these mainly for listening, to music, a video, a game, etc. But when a phone call comes in, you can switch to your phone and use them as a wireless headset. Finally make them stylish. Not ornate and gawdy but just sleek and thin and with good metal, like jewelry, and everyone will just wear them all day long without self-consciousness. We have to figure out how to make them self-charging though. That's the hard part.
- schmappel 10y ago
  How about equipping them with wireless charging? Its charging station could be a little bowl that you'd drop 'm in at night before you go to bed. Easy as pie.
  - combatentropy 10y ago
    Yes, that would work when the battery life of wireless earbuds gets to about 18 hours. Big wireless headphones can last that long, even much longer, but most small wireless earbuds die after eight.
dmd 10y ago
I wonder how much this earbud costs. Maybe he should mention it's $13 eleven times, instead of just ten.
rpgmaker 10y ago
This was one of my biggest takeaways from Her (the movie). Maybe the audio interface as represented in the movie is the future.
sklogic 10y ago
I could never stomach any podcasts (same thing with videos, of course). It is a slow and boring way of communication. You can read a text much faster, you can skim, you can easily go back to any point in this text. Audio is so inferior that I cannot comprehend why all those podcasts even exist.
- noir_lord 10y ago
  I agree entirely which is why I read the articles instead of using a podcast, it was working great til I hit that tree... The utility is that you listen to them while doing other things, also if the speed bothers you, speed it up. I listen to most podcasts at 120-130%.

42 points by caseyf7 10y ago

sna1l 10y ago

http://www.bragi.com/ http://www.bragi.com/ -- I think this company is trying to do something like this

Jarvis [1] seemed pretty neat in 2014 when Intel announced it, but I've heard nothing of it since. It seems like a much better bet than Google's Glass. [1] http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/6/5282416/intel-unveils-jarvis-its-smart-headset http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/6/5282416/intel-unveils-jarvi...

mgberlin 10y ago

Maybe I'm missing something but I can't seem to find the product being advertised in this article for sale anywhere.

TomFrost 10y ago

The problem I've always had with audio interfaces is that input is not private. Requests on public transportation are heard by many. Requests at home turn into a conversation with the roommate, spouse, or children. Requests walking down the street make others question the mental wellbeing of the person talking to him/herself. I'm reminded of the Ender's Game sequels in which the protagonist wears a small earpiece with an AI named Jane. He communicates with Jane by "subvocalizing" -- mentally saying the words, physically barely uttering a sound. The AI understands. A few years ago there was a TED talk (forgive me; unable to find the link) on which a technology was demoed to do something similar. Sensors placed around the throat, combined with EEG sensors around the temple, allowed a man to transmit text to a computer by following all the mental and muscle processes of speaking, stopping short of moving his lips in an obvious fashion or making sounds. The sensors allowed the computer to translate their input to actual words. Perfecting and miniaturizing that technology, then combining it with an in-ear AI, would be a game changer.

amasad 10y ago
I subvocalize when I read and it feels like I'm breathing the words. I think my vocal cords move too.
melling 10y ago
Yeah, you can always find a use case where something won't work then spend your time discussing why a solution won't work for you. However, I imagine that a lot of people would love the solution in many scenarios. Personally, I have no problem asking my phone a question when I'm walking down the street or driving. Basically, it would be nice to have the imperfect solution now then take it from there.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
lewisl9029 10y ago
Agreed regarding the issues with audio interfaces. I'd personally love to experiment with a device with a Google Glass-type display, eye tracking to function as a virtual cursor, and a compact ring-like device to enable interactions with that cursor (such as tapping, dragging gestures, etc).
rmac 10y ago
The future is brain-to-text, where our thoughts get piped directly to Alexa/Siri/Cortana/Now http://www.kurzweilai.net/brain-to-text-system-converts-speech-brainwave-patterns-to-text http://www.kurzweilai.net/brain-to-text-system-converts-spee... No need to utter words in public.
- ferongr 10y ago
  If we have the interface why stop at brain to text? Why not make the computer a part of our brains?
  - raddad 10y ago
    >If we have the interface why stop at brain to text? Why not make the computer a part of our brains? This is how the Borg came about. Actually I read about some guy who has a chip implanted which allows him to use his otherwise unusable hand. Right now it requires a bank of computers to function in the lab. Paralyzed man with breakthrough brain chip plays guitar video game, swipes credit card http://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/new-tech-helps-paralyzed-man-move-hand-with-mind http://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/new-tech-helps-paralyzed-m...

combatentropy 10y ago

What I would like is less complex but still very hard: wireless earphones that somehow self-charge, from radio signals, the sun, body movement, or whatever would let you leave them on all day and never have to worry about charging them. Couple that with a simple and easy way to switch between your phone and laptop. I mean these mainly for listening, to music, a video, a game, etc. But when a phone call comes in, you can switch to your phone and use them as a wireless headset. Finally make them stylish. Not ornate and gawdy but just sleek and thin and with good metal, like jewelry, and everyone will just wear them all day long without self-consciousness. We have to figure out how to make them self-charging though. That's the hard part.

schmappel 10y ago
How about equipping them with wireless charging? Its charging station could be a little bowl that you'd drop 'm in at night before you go to bed. Easy as pie.
- combatentropy 10y ago
  Yes, that would work when the battery life of wireless earbuds gets to about 18 hours. Big wireless headphones can last that long, even much longer, but most small wireless earbuds die after eight.

dmd 10y ago

I wonder how much this earbud costs. Maybe he should mention it's $13 eleven times, instead of just ten.

rpgmaker 10y ago

This was one of my biggest takeaways from Her (the movie). Maybe the audio interface as represented in the movie is the future.

sklogic 10y ago

I could never stomach any podcasts (same thing with videos, of course). It is a slow and boring way of communication. You can read a text much faster, you can skim, you can easily go back to any point in this text. Audio is so inferior that I cannot comprehend why all those podcasts even exist.

noir_lord 10y ago
I agree entirely which is why I read the articles instead of using a podcast, it was working great til I hit that tree... The utility is that you listen to them while doing other things, also if the speed bothers you, speed it up. I listen to most podcasts at 120-130%.