The giant search intends to develop internet-connected toys in the shape of teddy bears and bunnies which will be used to control home appliances. SmartUp, the legal technology company has spotted the pattern which was filed for the first time in 2012 and described it as one of the creepiest patterns which Google has proposed so far.
The device is supposed to be able to listen to instructions and interact with persons inside the house. With a single vocal command the toy could turn on household appliances or turn the lights on or off. Moreover before sending orders to any remote computer servers the toy would turn its head towards the users and listen to their orders.
The one who developed this device is Richard Wayne DeVaul who is the director of rapid evaluation and mad science at Google X. According to its inventor the toy is provided with wireless connection to the internet, cameras, microphones, motors and speakers. Individuals can use a trigger word in order to wake the toy up and the toy will turn their gaze to the person addressing them. It will even display human-like reactions such as curiosity, boredom, surprise or interest.
It is not yet clear whether this invention will be developed. A spokeswoman for Google declared that they file patent applications on various ideas which their employees come up with. She remarked that some of the ideas become products or services which will be developed or sold, but some ideas don’t.
The purpose of the device is not surveillance, but it is supposed to enable kids to control their music or movies without having to use a remote control or. Using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth the toy will wirelessly communicate with other media devices. The child-friendly toy could control DVD players, TVs, motorized lights and window curtains and home thermostats.
The internet-connected device would come in the shape of a bear or rabbit, but other alternatives are also available such as alien life forms or dragons. The US Patent and Trademark Office has made available diagrams showing a teddy bear with motors in the neck, cameras in the eyes, speakers in the mouth and microphones in the ear. The patent suggests that this internet-connected toy could make it easier for people to manage automation systems.
Image Source: BBC
