Microsoft’s newest patent will let you whisper voice commands to your smartphones

Microsoft

Voice commands are designed to make using your smart devices easier. But not everyone is comfortable speaking into your smartphones to dictate commands or private information and the like, especially when you’re out in public. That’s where the technology that Microsoft patented comes in handy. Called “Silent Voice Input,” it’ll let you whisper “with an inward airflow” to vocally communicate with your devices. What you’d need to do is place the device equipped with this feature very close to your mouth (in certain instances as close as 2mm), allowing for a small gap between the apparatus and the lips. Once in place, theoretically, the microphone can “capture [a] stable utterance signal with a very small voice leakage.” It might take some time to practice whispering while you inhale. This is called an ingressive airflow and this should prevent your voice from being distorted.

This kind of technology could potentially come to devices like smartwatches, smartphones, headsets, TV remotes, or even rings. But Microsoft hasn’t discussed whether this technology is going into development. Not all patents get turned into actual products, but it’s good to know the idea is there.

Source: Engadget