Notes

Google files patent to smart yet creepy internet toys

There’s no denying to the fact that most of us, as well as individuals from XXXX Blog loves stuffed toys, especially teddy bears. We considered them as our guardians who protect us while we are asleep, or a best friend we can play with or talk to.

It is not only Mr. Bean who takes really good care of his Teddy, XXXX Blog is certain that many of us do, whether you’re a 6-year-old child or a 21-year-old adult.

But what if your beloved teddy bear is made with microphones in its ears, speakers in its mouth, cameras in its eyes, and motors in its necks wherein it could also control your smart home appliances and secretly monitors and listens to everything you do and say? It can even turn its head to look back at you! It is a little bit terrifying isn’t it? You decide.

The company behind the most influential search engine, Google has filed a patent for internet-connected toys that could interact with individuals through its built-in camera, microphones, and speakers.
The three-year-old patent was recently noticed by the legal technology firm, SmartUp. The firm described the patent as Google’s creepiest patents yet.

The anthropomorphic device could be a doll or a toy that is similar to a human, an animal, a mythical creature or an inanimate object. Robots that are cute or toy-like are better because they fascinate children as well as adults.

The device is capable of communicating wirelessly using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or other methods with cloud-based computers, or controls other media devices, probably turning on songs or movies at children's commands.
The patent indicates that upon reception or a detection of a social cue, such as movement or spoken words or phrase, the device may aim its gaze at the source of the social cue.

The device also has a face and voice recognition, making it possible to recognize who it was looking at. It could listen for someone, turn its head to make eye contact, accomplish commands, hear what you say and respond with pre-recorded phrases. It can also show emotions such as surprise, boredom and curiosity.

The device may open its eyes, lift its head, and/or focus its gaze on the user or object to express its interest. It may tilt its head, furrow its brow, and/or scratch its head with an arm to express its curiosity. It may defocus its gaze in a downward manner, tap its foot, and/or close its eyes to express its boredom. It may make a sudden movement, sit or stand up straight, and/or dilate its pupils to express its surprise.

It will spend its days in a low-power sleep mode and then wakes up when it senses you need it by opening its eyes, yawning or stretching.

The Google patent listed Richard Wayne DeVaul and Daniel Aminzade as inventors. Google has been thinking about developing these toys for some time now because the application for the patent was filed in February of 2012. DeVaul is the director of rapid evaluation and mad science at Google X, a semi-secret facility run by Google.

These toy-like devices could serve as an "intelligent remote control" that makes managing home entertainment or automation systems simple. However, privacy advocates have raised concerns over the patent.

A spokeswoman for Google was unable to confirm whether this was a product the company might develop and sell. She said that they file patents on a variety of ideas that their employees come up with. The ideas may or may not later develop into real products and services. She added that patent applications shouldn't be deduced as the company's product announcements.