Apple’s eagerly anticipated “Apple Glass” augmented reality glasses are expected to be capable of projecting visual augmentations to help users make sense of the visible world around them. But they could also possess some impressive listening qualities, as a newly published patent application suggests.
Spotted by Apple Insider, the patent application suggests that the Apple Glass smart glasses could be used to detect audio which is otherwise difficult to hear, as well as identifying the location of certain sounds, and pointing wearers in the right direction.
Putting Microphones to Good Use
The patent application, titled “Audio-Based Feedback for Head-Mountable Device,” notes that it describes:
“A head-mountable device [that] can include multiple microphones for directional audio detection. The head-mountable device can also include a speaker for audio output and/or a display for visual output. The head-mountable device can be configured to provide visual outputs based on audio inputs by displaying an indicator on a display based on a location of a source of a sound. The head-mountable device can be configured to audio outputs based on audio inputs by modifying an audio output of the speaker based on a detected sound and a target characteristic.”
Being a patent, of course, there’s no guarantee that this describes the Apple Glass headset as it will eventually ship. There is a chance that, when Apple does finally debut its AR glasses, they do not sport a built-in microphone.
However, the use-cases described here certainly make it sound a more compelling product if it was to include an audio detection element.
This would presumably open up the possibility of being able to control Apple Glass using voice, most likely via Siri. Interestingly, another recent Apple patent application described technology that could allow Siri to estimate how far away a user is, based on the loudness of their voice.
The new patent application would also make it possible to alert users, via on-screen notifications, when a particular sound is occurring. As Apple describes in the application, “This can allow the user to correctly and readily identify the location of the source, even when the user is not readily able to hear the sound independently of the head-mountable device.”
Together with the ability to help pick up and amplify certain sounds over others, this could make Apple Glass a valuable accessibility tool for Apple.
When to Expect Apple Glass
There’s no definitive word on when Apple Glass will reportedly ship. According to rumors, Apple is currently working on both AR glasses and a virtual reality headset. The VR headset is likely to arrive first, possibly next year. Meanwhile, Apple’s AR glasses could debut sometime in 2023.
Image Credit: Apple/USPTO