from the seeing-what's-not-really-there dept.
Facebook wants its AR glasses to unlock 'perceptual superpowers'
Facebook has been developing its own AR glasses for quite a while now, and a new report from its researchers reveal[s] that the device could feature advanced audio technology. Members of the Facebook Reality Labs (FRL) Research audio team detail their work on two technologies in particular. One of the[sic], which the team is calling "Perceptual Superpowers," will allow you to enhance certain sounds and dim background noise in the real world. It will, for instance, give you a way [to] clearly hear someone sitting across you in a noisy restaurant.
The technology can do that by using the glasses' multiple microphones to capture sounds around you. It will then take note of your head and eye movements to figure out the sounds you actually want to hear and the ones you want filter out. While the researchers aren't specifically developing the technology for the hard of hearing, the glasses could help those who'd rather not use hearing aids in social situations. Thomas Lunner, one of the researchers who also worked on the world's first digital hearing aid, said: "By putting hearing impaired people on par with people with normal hearing, we could help them become more socially engaged. This resonates very well with Facebook's mission in the sense that hearing loss often keeps people away from social situations."
(Score: 2) by Bot on Monday September 07 2020, @02:55PM (1 child)
From the future Amazon reviews
"Makes you socially engaged", indeed
I bought the faceglass and took it for a dinner with my crush, a blue haired new entry in the retirement home, As I was trying to focus I distinctly picked up the machine gun farting of the young lady in the neighbouring table and I started giggling, dunno how in hell the lady understood and threw the pizza at me. She had a faceglass too so the pizza landed perfectly in my face. dinner ruined. Too much social engagement, do not recommend, unless maybe you also buy the pizza thrower scope addon.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by Hartree on Monday September 07 2020, @09:39PM
"Makes you socially engaged"
Is that the new version of "All the cool kids are doing it."?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Monday September 07 2020, @03:09PM (9 children)
More worryingly, it will give Facebook the ability to listen in on the entire conversation.
If I ever see an idiot wearing one of those things around me, I'll be sure to move somewhere else.
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by takyon on Monday September 07 2020, @03:16PM (3 children)
So, you have chosen the path of Ted Kaczynski.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Monday September 07 2020, @03:30PM (1 child)
Ted Kaczynski hated Facebook too you know!
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday September 07 2020, @07:10PM
He likes yearbooks though. [boston.com]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by looorg on Monday September 07 2020, @04:30PM
Teddy was quite on the spot tho describing the world of tomorrow before it was a reality, if one takes the time to read his manifesto. I wonder what would have happened if he hadn't felt the need to go around making bombs and killing people, but I guess then nobody would have ever heard about him, his ideas or his manifesto cause he would have just been some crazy loner in the woods.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday September 07 2020, @03:54PM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 07 2020, @04:51PM
They're attempting to weasel around the law [lawyers.com] by claiming it's for subnormal hearing and claiming service provider exemption. The correct time to seek legal advice is right now.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 07 2020, @06:14PM (2 children)
What do you expect when you order something from a Suckerberg and you order it through a company controlled by a Bozo.
I also expect that Tesla will smell pretty musky.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday September 08 2020, @08:53AM (1 child)
"They trust me — dumb fucks," says Zuckerberg.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 09 2020, @01:39AM
Perhaps these suckerberg created glasses should just be called facecrook.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by MIRV888 on Monday September 07 2020, @03:45PM (2 children)
Except it will be coming from private / for profit institutions instead of the government. The government will(is) second tier to what the corporations gather.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 07 2020, @04:10PM
Will be? It's already here and it's only going to get worse. As for the government, why build when you can buy?
(Score: 2) by Tork on Tuesday September 08 2020, @04:20PM
Slashdolt Logic: "25 year old jokes about sharks and lasers are +5, Funny." 💩
(Score: 2) by looorg on Monday September 07 2020, @04:27PM (7 children)
Will it come with X-ray vision like all those glasses promised in the comicbooks of old? If not I'll pass.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday September 07 2020, @04:37PM (2 children)
Only, if you're comfortable with constant radiation exposure to your eyes and face.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Monday September 07 2020, @06:53PM (1 child)
Almost nobody really wants X-ray glasses. Who wants to look at bones? What the GP was looking for is mm-wave glasses that mimic those airport nudie-scanners.
No problem is insoluble, but at Ksp = 2.943×10−25 Mercury Sulphide comes close.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday September 07 2020, @07:16PM
With current phone tech and camera specs, there's no reason why you can't do your own fake clothing replacer app. It's just not likely to be listed on the Apple Store or Google Play.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Tuesday September 08 2020, @02:26PM (3 children)
What *did* those glasses advertised in the comic books of old actually do?
(Score: 2) by looorg on Tuesday September 08 2020, @02:53PM (2 children)
Did they really do anything? Wasn't it just the cheapest plastic frame with a cardboard cutout for the glass with some sort of "hypnotize"-pattern?
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Wednesday September 09 2020, @12:59AM (1 child)
I don't know. I never has money to waste on what was probably junk just to satisfy my curiosity.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Wednesday September 09 2020, @03:09AM
It's not like I spent any money on them either, I assumed based upon the pictures in said comic books. I figure they are sort of like sea-monkeys. Equally worthless and fascinating to a young child looking at the ads at the back of some superhero-comic.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 07 2020, @09:25PM (1 child)
Now that bastard Zuckerberg is promoting criminal activity!
(Score: 4, Insightful) by https on Monday September 07 2020, @11:32PM
To be fair, Trump proved that the rich or powerful can do exactly that. Crime without consequence, that's what America loves! I tell ya, it's gonna be the new apple pie.
Offended and laughing about it.
(Score: 2) by corey on Monday September 07 2020, @10:36PM
(Score: 3, Insightful) by deimios on Tuesday September 08 2020, @03:28AM (1 child)
Letting Facebook or any tech company choose what you can and cannot hear should scare you.
They are biased and will filter out stuff they don't like on their platforms, now imagine them doing the same to your perception of reality.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday September 08 2020, @08:52AM
"They trust me — dumb fucks," says Zuckerberg
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Tuesday September 08 2020, @02:30PM
Can I get them with prescription lenses?