Cameras on Airpods... I believe this is what the previous rumours were pointing to

By Ollie, 30 June, 2024

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Apple Hardware and Compatible Accessories

I know there have been some rumblings about cameras on airpods which, personally, I think is a bit daft due to comfort, positioning, issues with beardss and hairhair and hair, and it would seem this is what apple is working toward, which makes much more sense:

https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/30/new-airpods-to-feature-ir-cameras/

In a nutshell, cameras in the airpods scan the world perpendicular to your head allowing them to recreate the acoustics of the room for use with spacial audio. It's similar to what the new Sonos Ace will do when they get their function that simulates your surrounds system specific to your home environment setup, IE, it sounds exactly as yourr surround system sounds in reality. This is, of course, using a different method to achieve it, but it is the same result.

So, I get the feeling these wee the airpod mounted cameras people were talking about. This is good though as glasses mounted cameras will always be better, more comfortable, better angle of view, battery, etc. I do still hope Apple will bring out some frame AI device, though it may be the apple vision that will be out over the next couple of years, IE, dropping the price tag and Pro name.

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Comments

By OldBear on Sunday, June 30, 2024 - 21:14

I also see they are Infrared cameras. That might actually make hair and such less of an issue for the purpose they are talking about. The first question that comes to my mind is could those side facing IR cameras be finagled into also becoming proximity detectors, like the cars that beep up a fit if the driver gets too close to something? Just a blindness thought.

By Ollie on Sunday, June 30, 2024 - 21:14

I guess so but it would only be objects to the left and right of the wearer and not front and back which, I think, would be the more useful direction. Saying that, I don't know what the angle of the cameras will be. The ability to use the cameras to IR discover dowars would be a useful feature, but unless we turn our heads to the side to check the door, I can't see it working. I imagine these as, instead or reversing cameras, as side cameras, which makes their application rather restrictive.

I imagine these are mainly designed to go with a cheaper vision pro,, a vision, without audio built in, providing a almost full coverage of the space around the wearer, which could open up interesting use cases for the blind though all indications are pointing to needing to plug the new version into a mac or iphone, which may or not not be a problem.

By OldBear on Sunday, June 30, 2024 - 21:14

I was thinking more of those pesky wall sconces and window air conditioners, but ya, it wouldn't be of much use beyond that.

By Ollie on Sunday, June 30, 2024 - 21:14

Or muggers.