In addition to everything we know about Apple products, at its headquarters they are constantly carrying out research and product development that, although not all of them end up seeing the light of day, at least leave their stamp registered in the form of a patent. And what has now been known is completely different from what has been seen until now, in terms of the products they have “on display.” Do you want to know more in depth what this new invention is about? Here we are going to tell you!
As is usual with Apple patents, these are discovered because they are stored in the database of the United States Patent and Registration Office. And it was a few days ago, specifically October 5, 2023, the date on which the document was published.
It is a communicative device
The name of the document is “Wearable device with directional audio.” The document summary states that it “provides an audio module that operates by providing sound output from a distance away from the user’s ears.” And the most curious thing of all is that whoever is not wearing this will not hear what is transmitted.
It turns out that this device, since it has directional audio, you could wear it in the form of a necklace, and the waves would be directed to your ears directly, without you having to put on any type of internal receiver. In fact, the document goes on to explain that “audio waves are direct, limiting listening by others.”
But it not only serves to capture audio without headphones, directly. It also “may include microphones and/or connections to other devices so that they can facilitate calibration of the device’s sound module.” And if the connection to the “internet of things” is not enough, there is still one more thing.
“It may also include sensors that are configured to detect, measure and/or track one or more characteristics of the user,” the patent document explains. In other words, this device would not only be able to recognize what is on its sides, but it would also know our physical characteristics, to better adapt its operation.
A sequence of parameters that are executed
How is it possible that a device of this type can work? In the images included in the same document you can see a succession of different elements that interact with each other, to complement each other and end up providing a correct output.
The first step is detecting where the device is located. Immediately afterwards, the voice of whoever is wearing this same device is detected. The location of the sound is determined, so that it can later be calibrated, and thus offer a correct output command. Finally, when all this has been carried out, a sound response is provided.
It is not clear if this is going to be an autonomous product or an implementation that we can see in another existing product. Nor is the final name detailed, or the family to which it will belong, in case it is an autonomous device. Would it be a main line, or would it be an accessory? All this remains to be seen.