Facebook Reality Labs Research has recently published a look inside their brand-new AR glasses that will reduce all background noise to create ‘super’ hearing. Outside factors such as constant background noise, distance, or mere personal hearing problems will no longer play a role. We live in a world where so much is being improved through the use of technology, so why not apply this to something as simple as hearing? This is exactly what Facebook was thinking.
The ‘glasses’ themselves, as Facebook is calling them, are intended to wipe out all distractions when using VR that could disrupt the feel of the environment you are ‘in’. However, Facebook decided they wanted to even take it one step further: not only “audio presence” but also “perceptual superpowers”. “Audio presence” is about feeling virtually present in VR, and “perceptual superpowers” is about connecting with others when you’re at a loud bar/restaurant and no longer needing to scream as means of communicating due to the noise (Jaloza, 2020).
This technology is highly dependent on understanding how sound travels in a space and bounces off walls. This is where “spatialized audio” comes in: virtual audio that copies the way sound reaches you, from which exact direction. This was developed in 2017 and has been the frontier pushing hearing and sound technology to where it is now.
“I take to heart the overall Facebook mission, which is really about connecting people,” – Philip Robinson, Research Lead
The technology is not fully there yet, but the idea is. The ultimate goal is to be able to use microphones to capture the sounds, follow your eye patterns to figure out what you would like to hear, and then enhance/dim certain sounds for a fully personalised experience. Check out the video to get an idea of what this means:
The implications of this are vast. Imagine what this could do for people with normal hearing, and then think of what it could do for people with impaired hearing. This idea goes far beyond just technological advancements in true VR experiences, or even personal human connections, but extends all the way to possible health care improvements.
The technology could be years away from a proper launch or a true viable consumer product, but the fact that a prototype seems to be working is a huge step in the right direction. However, skeptics may be conflicted by the role of privacy and possibly overhearing sensitive conversations. To make this targeted at a mass market, both security and ethical implications will have to be evaluated to see the true potential. To take it one step further, how will this tie in with Facebook’s current data collection of their users and will it eventually become so commercialised that ads could even be introduced?
For now, all we can do, is enjoy the beauty of the prototype for this technology.
References:
Grad, P. (2020, september 8). Facebook focuses on smart audio for AR glasses. Tech Xplore.
Jaloza, L. B. (2020, September 3). Inside Facebook Reality Labs Research: The future of audio. Tech@Facebook.
Leprince-Ringuet, D. (2020, march 31). Facebook is trying to build AR glasses that just ‘melt away’, using this cutting-edge tech. ZDnet.
Robertson, A. (2020, September 3). Facebook wants its AR glasses to give wearers superhearing . The Verge.
This a very interesting article! With the rise of technology every problems seems to be solvable. However I believe we should always step back and evaluate the necessity in doing so. I do believe that this innovation could change the lives of people with impaired hearings but I do not believe people with normal hearing should use this. As you mentioned in your blog, it could have some major security and ethical implications and people will start using it not for their main purpose. Then again I do not really see the usefulness of this product for normal hearing people, is it really necessary to cancel out background noice? Isn’t this a bit too far stretched and creating a “fake” utopian world? I believe this research should go on and create a product that would be only prescribed by doctors to specific people.
Hi Amandine,
Thank you for sharing your opinion! I personally find it very interesting to see what companies consider necessary technology, or even disruptive. I think, in this case, Facebook sees potential in connecting people on a more personal level in terms of those without impaired hearing. However, I do agree with your opinion on the fake utopian world. I do not think interaction needs to be optimised to such an extent that it becomes personal. There is a beauty in being at a loud restaurant and having a conversation. Certain life experiences do not need to be optimised.