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Microsoft Creates Kinect-Like System Using Laptop Speaker & Microphone
MrSeb writes "Microsoft Research, working with the University of Washington, has developed a Kinect-like system that uses your computer's built-in microphone and speakers to provide object detection and gesture recognition, much in the same way that a submarine uses sonar. Called SoundWave, the new technology uses the Doppler effect to detect any movements and gestures in the proximity of a computer. In the case of SoundWave, your computer's built-in speaker is used to emit ultrasonic (18-22KHz) sound waves, which change frequency depending on where your hand (or body) is in relation to the computer. This change in frequency is measured by your computer's built-in microphone, and then some fairly complex software works out your motion/gesture. The obvious advantage of SoundWave over a product like Kinect is that it uses existing, commodity hardware; it could effectively equip every modern laptop with a gesture-sensing interface. The Microsoft Research team is reporting a 90-100% accuracy rate for SoundWave, even in noisy environments."
Why is my dog barking at my laptop?
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
From the article "The Microsoft Research team is reporting a 90-100% accuracy rate for SoundWave, even in noisy environments."
Why is my dog barking at my laptop?
Because that is not really your laptop, you moron! It is a polymimetic-type Terminator! Your dog is trying to warn you! Run for your life!
I'm in the beginning of my 30s and I can still hear 18 kHz (probably due to not listening to loud music, and wearing musicians' ear plugs in loud clubs); younger folks can often hear to around 20 kHz. Calling this ultrasonic is silly. Though the high frequency sensitivity of the ear is lower and these sounds would not be loud, they can easily be annoying, in the same way the old CRT TVs had that annoying 15.7 kHz buzz you can hear when you mute the sound.
Some here may wonder why, in the day of sound cards with 96 ksamples/s they didn't use a higher output frequency. The problem is the sound card DAC's reconstruction filter starts attenuation significantly below that, and most speakers drop in sensitivity much beyond 20 kHz as well. I would imagine the recording side has similar limitations.
"Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason."
Computer: Hi there, I see you are giving me the middle finger salute. Would you like help with:
1. filing out your Windows registration
2. sending us money to unlock exciting new features of Windows
3. allowing all your warnings and alerts to use the voice chip
Not surprising. Everyone on Slashdot is rare and special.
Further proof that Microsoft has the best code-names and the worst product names.
Some people also hear sounds in the 18-22 kHz range. Especially 18-20 kHz, which is inside the "normal" hearing range for young people.
Most PC speakers and many sound cards are unable to produce reliable sound in those ranges anyhow, so it might be moot - it likely won't annoy you because it won't work.
How did you test? I've used audacity to generate tones on my computer, and I've heard the sound out of my speakers when I play the resulting 20khz wave form. But how do I know my speakers are actually outputting a 20khz waveform? I have no way of verifying that it's actually outputting that tone, and not some lower frequency tone because the speakers can't handle it. I'm pretty sure it's actually a lower tone, because my hearing is generally considered to be bad by me and others who know me.
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
This could be pretty cool for when you have your hands dirty and don't need your keyboard to be too. Scrolling recipes, for example.
PS. Que the porn jokes...
.: Max Romantschuk
It sounds interesting, as long as there is no background noise, you are alone in the room with the system and the system itself isn't generating any noises (fans? DVD access? music or sound effects?).
And you don't have a fan operating in the room, and aren't less than 25 years old (or 40 if female) (most males can hear 18-22 KHz up to about that age, and females until about age 40-50), so that you can't stand to be in the same room with it.
Exactly! Just like radiation!
Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
So you're saying that it's a device the will make the wife and kids leave me the f** alone so that I can get some work done?!!
Does it run on Linux?
Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba