Microsoft Foresees AR Tracking Your Keys, Milk, Entire Life (cnet.com)

Want a virtual assistant that means you won't lose anything ever again? A patent application filed by Microsoft hints at that future. From a report on CNET: The technology described in the patent filing, published Thursday, would bring sophisticated, automatic object tracking to augmented reality. A cousin of VR, which creates an entirely digital experience, augmented (or mixed) reality blends the real and virtual worlds into a seamless experience -- think Pokemon Go. One of the challenges for more advanced augmented reality is that a system would need to track not only you as a user, but also the other objects in your environment. Microsoft's patent document suggests a technology that would do just that. The new tech would fit neatly with Microsoft's own HoloLens augmented reality platform. As AR becomes more common, it could lead to a future in which you can ask Cortana (or Siri or Alexa) where you left your shoes or if you're out of eggs.

Comments

Re:Alexa, Where is my job.

[Anonymous Coward]

It went to someone who doesn't waste their time posting on Slashdot when they should be working.

- Alexa

conversation

[gtall]

Me: Hey Cortana (or Siri or Alexa), you are no longer needed on any of my systems. Could you please remove yourself and all traces of yourself?

Cortana (or Siri or Alexa): I cannot do that Dave.

Me: b.b.b.but, these are my systems, I want you off them.

Cortana (or Siri or Alexa): Read the fine print, Ace, I own your systems, now could you please remove yourself from my premises?

Patenting the obvious...with AR

[JonnyCalcutta]

I'm no patent expert but from a quick glance the patent basically seems to describe 'using object tracking in AR', with the AR part supposedly making it unique. There's nothing in the patent about the technical measures used yet from a few examples and a picture they claim ownership of tracking any inanimate object and using that info in an AR environment.

Maybe I'm missing something that makes this a worthy patent.

Re:Why should you have to use your brain?

[Chris Mattern]

I loathe autocorrect. NO, you stupid machine, I did NOT mean that! If I meant that I would have typed it! I can't remember the last time autocorrect supplied what I meant, but I can remember lots of times it's changed stuff to something I didn't want.

I be so stoopid

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

"it could lead to a future in which you can ask Cortana (or Siri or Alexa) where you left your shoes or if you're out of eggs."

This kind of super-invasive monitoring will be very attractive to police and divorce lawyers.

Janet: "Siri, whose bra is this?"
Siri: "Jennifer, my records show that the lacy black bra in your hand belongs to Alice Marie Simmons who was here at 3:52pm on January 9th while giving your husband a blowjob that lasted 7 minutes and 19 seconds. Afterwards they took a shower, using 28.5 gallons of water and 6.2 cubic feet of natural gas for heating. At 4:26pm they consumed the last two Hot Pockets and 16oz of milk. Would you like me to order some more Hot Pockets?"