Michael and Michael reprise the mobile hotel concept from last week to start off this week’s episode, with Volvo’s 360c concept car which takes into account the distances and speed necessary to make such a concept viable. Consistent with the excellent Swedish design Volvo is known for, the physical seats in the vehicle, as well as the user experience to show the distance to destination on the glass reminded the co-hosts of a head up display.
After reacting briefly to the VR360 article noting that VR headset shipments have gone down year to year, and the Business Insider article on the expectation that Apple is focusing on AR glasses, with the idea that fashion will play a major role in the AR glasses of the future. Glasses are an extremely personal effect, and make a statement about who you are in the world to the world. Remembering the AR focus on iOS 12 at WWDC earlier this year, and the imminent launch of the next generation of the software, there is high expectation that there will be exciting news coming soon, and the Akonia acquisition certainly fuels those expectations.
Also coming soon are other means of human-computer interaction, and the Origami Labs example of the voice powered Orii ring is a particularly intriguing example. For when it would be obtrusive to look at a screen, and have that be in between a service professional and their customer, the haptic signaling of this ring, as well as the ability via bone conduction to allow for easy voice communication can keep the engagement between the employee and the customer very high.
Rounding out this week episode, the co-hosts turn once more to security, and this time, keeping with the audio theme, they explore an example that leverages active acoustics to crack smartphone unlock patterns. Using the combination of the top and bottom microphones of a smartphone and echos from a frequency inaudible to most people, it is possible to determine the movement of the user’s finger to unlock their smartphone. Amazing.
Selected Links
TechCrunch article: The Volvo 360c concept is an office-bed-living room mashup to disrupt domestic air travel — https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/05/the-volvo-360c-concept-is-an-office-bed-living-room-mashup-to-disrupt-domestic-air-travel
VR360 article: VR headset shipments go down year on year – but it’s only a blip, says IDC — https://www.virtualreality-news.net/news/2018/sep/06/vr-headset-shipments-go-down-year-year-its-only-blip-says-idc/
Business Insider article: The evidence is mounting that Apple’s next big product will be a pair of computer glasses — https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-buys-akonia-holographics-next-big-product-will-be-smartglasses-2018-8
Akonia Holographics — http://akoniaholographics.com
Warby Parker — https://www.warbyparker.com
Microsoft News Center UK: You can now sign up for a HoloLens subscription and get one delivered to your door — https://news.microsoft.com/en-gb/2018/05/01/you-can-now-lease-a-hololens-thats-delivered-to-your-door/
Lego AR Studio — https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lego-ar-studio/id1296734986?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
CNet article: Lego AR lets Batman come to life with iOS 12 at WWDC — https://www.cnet.com/news/lego-ar-lets-batman-come-to-life-with-ios-12-at-wwdc/
Lego Friends Creative Rings — https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Creative-Rings-853780
TechCrunch article: Origami Labs shows off its voice-powered smart ring — https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/05/origami-labs-shows-off-its-voice-powered-smart-ring
Wired article: The Handphone: Possibly the Worst Cellphone Concept Ever — https://www.wired.com/2008/05/the-handphone-p/
Schneier on Security blog post: Using a Smartphone’s Microphone and Speakers to Eavesdrop on Passwords — https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2018/09/using_a_smartph.html
BleepingComputer article: SonarSnoop Acoustic Side-Channel Attack Can Steal Touchscreen Interactions — https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/sonarsnoop-acoustic-side-channel-attack-can-steal-touchscreen-interactions/
SonarSnoop: Active Acoustic Side-Channel Attacks — https://arxiv.org/abs/1808.10250
Games the co-hosts are playing
Nothing new this week!
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Such a fun episode, Michael & Andy! Loved your discussion on Life by You.