Google Patents A Teddy Bear Remote – Creepy Tech Will ‘Look’ At You For Commands To Control The TV

Google engineers have envisioned a cute stuffed teddy bear that could do double-duty as a hands-free remote. The stuffed toy would be programmed to “look” specifically at you to receive commands to control your TV and perhaps other household appliances.

Google has filed for a patent that enhances the ability of a plain stuffed toy to execute multiple functions. Apart from just giving joy, the teddy bear will function as a remote controller for television and other media devices. The stuffed toy won’t be just stuffed with cotton, but will be filled with sensors. The patent page also suggests the teddy bear will lock its gaze with you to ‘listen’ to your commands. The bear will have motion sensing capabilities as well as sharp listening devices that will enable the bear to see and listen to you.

The US Patent and Trademark Office revealed diagrams depicting what resembled rabbit and bear toys on the outside, but these tech toys with every-day useable functions will be equipped with microphones in their ears, cameras in their eyes, speakers in their mouths and motors in their necks. The envisioned “remote controllers” will be able to listen for someone, turn a head to make “eye contact,” hear what they say and respond with pre-recorded phrases.

Additionally, with facial recognition technologies improving by leaps and bounds, the teddy bear could be programmed to accept commands only from a set of pre-specified users, perhaps ending the battle for the remote.

As for communicating with the devices, the teddy bear will be able to do so wirelessly relying on mainstream communication protocols like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. However, with cloud-based storage and devices that are synched to the internet, these devices could find a way via the World Wide Web as well. The patent paperwork suggests,

“Such a toy-like device could serve as an intelligent remote control that makes managing home entertainment or automation systems simple. The anthropomorphic device may be a doll or a toy that resembles a human, an animal, a mythical creature or an inanimate object.”

What the patent suggests is that Google is thinking ahead with humanoid robots that would eventually serve mankind can be equipped with such a system to control media playback devices for their masters.

With Microsoft introducing Cortana in its mainstream desktop Operating System Windows 10, which also features facial recognition system, giving verbal commands will gain popularity and acceptance. Google has merely envisioned a complete external system, albeit that looks a lot cuter, but may evoke some screams when the teddy bear “looks” at children.

[Image Credit | US Patent and Trademark Office, Getty Images]