Microsoft Wants Us to Wear AI-Powered Backpacks
Microsoft's latest idea for a wearable takes the form of an AI-powered backpack full of sensors.
As Neowin reports, Microsoft thinks the idea is good enough to patent under the title "Artificial Intelligence Assisted Wearable." The inventor is Brian Claire, a senior design lead at Microsoft, who explains in the patent application that, "An example backpack may include sensors, such as a microphone and a camera. The backpack may receive a contextual voice command from a user."
The description goes on to state that the backpack would be capable of responding to voice commands after taking into account an object in the environment, or the environment in general based on its sensor readings. The diagrams included with the patent show the backpack being linked wirelessly to a laptop and server to process sensor information and commands.
The patent points out that, while advancements in AI have led to the "ongoing proliferation of smart devices," today's digital assistants have a number of drawbacks. They include the fact they are either physically stationary, or if mobile in the form of an app on a phone, they "require the user to divert his attention or focus." Finally, they aren't context-aware and can't perceive the user's surroundings. The backpack concept claims to solve all of these drawbacks.
If this turns into a real wearable product, Microsoft will need to ensure the backpack doesn't get cranky on long journeys. However, unlike fitness trackers, smartwatches, and smartphones, there's much more scope for offering different backpack designs and sizes for consumers. Could smart backpacks end up being the next popular category of wearables?
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