Meta is reportedly back on its wearables bit: this time it wants to stick cameras on earbuds for AI

pcgamer.com:

Tech companies are racing to stuff object and speech recognition into their latest devices, from laptops and phones to weird wearables. Zuckerberg, not one to shy away from a trend in the tech industry, is reportedly also keen to see Meta produce its own AI-powered wearable: intelligent earbuds, or maybe headphones.

The project, codenamed  'Camerabuds', would see Meta do the unthinkable… combine earbuds with cameras.

The cameras would supposedly come in handy for identifying objects—this data could then be integrated and used with other smart systems—and the earbuds could function to translate foreign languages on the fly. A team working on the project has already presented Zuckerberg with some concepts. However, the Meta CEO isn't entirely sold on the designs he's been shown so far, The Information reports, citing three current Meta employees.

This wouldn't be the first time we've heard of devices capable of offering transcription or translation services. They could be pretty great when it comes to accessibility uses, too. Though we're beginning to hear a lot more about these sorts of features for a wider audience now that 'AI' can be slapped on the box.

Meta, specifically, does not surprise with its desire to get into the AI-powered wearables game. With billions of dollars invested into its Reality Labs division and a co-credit in creating smart glasses with Ray-Ban, this is exactly the sort of project we should expect from a company constantly chasing new markets to expand into.

Early AI-powered wearables have so far gone down like a tonne of bricks, often panned by reviewers. Though clearly there's some expectation of a huge boon for devices such as these, providing some AI firms can make some features worth hanging them off. I dare say it'll need to be a lot more than they currently can offer to convince users to carry another device on their person, and keep charged, alongside their mobile phone.

What is artificial general intelligence?: We dive into the lingo