Google’s research and development team has looked into making internet-connected toys that can control smart home devices.
The company published a patent for devices. These devices turn their heads towards users, listen to what people say, and send commands to remote servers.
The legal technology firm Smartup recently noticed the three-year-old patent.
It described the proposal as one of Google’s creepiest patents yet.
Privacy advocates have issued warnings about the technology’s implications, highlighting concerns that toys could collect data on children and families, potentially recording conversations as part of their operation.
A Google spokeswoman could not say whether the company might develop and sell this product.
“We file patent applications on a variety of ideas that our employees come up with,” she said.
“Some of these ideas later mature into real products or services. Some don’t. Prospective product announcements should not necessarily be inferred from our patent applications.” She added
A Curious Expression
The patent was first filed in February 2012, but it was only published recently.
The inventor is listed as Richard Wayne DeVaul. He works as the director of Rapid Evaluation and Mad Science at Google X, the company’s secretive research lab.
The patent explains that the toys would have microphones, speakers, cameras, motors, and a wireless internet connection.
It says that a trigger word would make the toys wake up and look at the person speaking, and they could check if the person is making eye contact.
The document suggests the device could reply by speaking and by showing human-like e-expressions. These include interest, curiosity, boredom, or surprise.
“To express interest, an anthropomorphic device may open its eyes, lift its head, and/or focus its gaze on the user.” Mr. DeVaul wrote
“To express curiosity, it may tilt its head, furrow its brow, and/or scratch its head with an arm.”
Commands In The Bedrooms
Drawings show the machine could look like a bunny, rabbit, or teddy bear. The text also suggests options like dragons and aliens.
The patent also says making the device look cute should encourage even the youngest family members to use it.
“Young children might find these forms to be attractive,” it says
“However, individuals of all ages may find interacting with these anthropomorphic devices more natural than with traditional user interfaces.”
The document says the toys could control many devices. These include TVs, DVD players, home thermostats, motorized window curtains, and lights.
It also says the toys might become so popular that families would want several of them. They may put these toys around the house, even in bedrooms.
The idea is similar to the super toy teddy bear from Steven Spielberg’s 2001 movie, A.I.
But Mikhail Avadi from Smarter said he thought it belonged in a horror film. The campaign group Big Brother Watch has also expressed dismay.
The privacy issues are clear when devices have the capacity to record conversations and log activity, said its director, Emma Carr.
“When those devices are aimed specifically at children, then for many this will step up.” The Center for Democracy and Technology is a research group that helped shape child protection laws. “Invasive invasion of their privacy, such as constant listening or observation, it’s, it is simply unnecessary,” she added.
The Center for Democracy and Technology is a research group that helped shape child protection laws in the US. It said parents would have to be especially vigilant in the upcoming years, whether or not Google ever sells such toys.
“In general, as technology moves forward, markets will offer a steady stream of products. These may push or even break mainstream social norms – on privacy as well as other things,” said its director of European affairs, Jens Henrik Jeppesen.
“Responsible companies will know they need to provide full clarity about how such devices handle data.
Some consumers may find such perks appealing—I suspect most will not, he added.
High Tech Dolls
Google is not the first company to take the appeal of a family-friendly voice-activated home control. It is an alternative to remote controls or smartphones.
Amazon already sells the Echo in the US. It is a cylindrical internet-connected device that can control music, check the weather, and order food.
The Echo has seen limited controversy, perhaps due to its non-toy appearance.
In contrast, Mattel’s recent announcement of Hello Barbie has caused backlash. The doll uses Wi-Fi and voice recognition to talk with young girls and remember past conversations.
A group called The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood has launched petitions. They ask the toy company to stop the idea.
These petitions have collected more than 42,000 online signatures.
Source: Google patents ‘creepy’ internet toys to run the home
