Amazon wins approval to use radar to monitor sleep

[Eldorado]

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday granted Amazon.com Inc. approval to use a radar sensor to sense motion and “enable contactless sleep tracing functionalities.”

Amazon on June 22 asked the FCC, which regulates airwave uses, for permission to market a device that uses radar. The technology captures movement in three dimensions, enabling a user to control its features through simple gestures and movements, the company said in a filing.

The capability, according to Amazon, could help people with “with mobility, speech, or tactile impairments,”and it could monitor sleep with a high degree of precision.

Full monty at Bloomberg

And at Tech Radar

[XenoFish]

New and improved with more spying capabilities.

[Orphalesion]

Next they gonna hack into our dreams and put ads there, like in Futurama

[quiXilver]

Yee-uck!

[Golden Duck]

Amazon detects movement and starts playing Barry White.

[+Nuclear Wessel]

8 hours ago, Golden Duck said:

Amazon detects movement and starts playing Barry White.

 

[+Razman]

Of course , anything that gathers info gets approved , from the information *****s corporate world.

[AnonsMouse]

Just another reason not to any sort of "home" type devices. Have none, want none ... not even a camera at the door. I use an older desktop computer with a monitor that has no camera and only plug the speakers in if I need to listen to something. Cell phone is always off unless I seriously need it (hate it, so that's not very often) and stored in the bottom drawer of rarely used storage bin in a dark room.

I'm not all that paranoid, I just don't have a want or need for most of today's devices.

[Seti42]

"smart" home devices are 100% unnecessary (and stupid) at best, and spy on you at worst.

No thanks.

[Orphalesion]

46 minutes ago, Seti42 said:

"smart" home devices are 100% unnecessary (and stupid) at best, and spy on you at worst.

Yeah, I never understood the appeal or purpose of Alexa

[CigaretteSmokingMan]

15 hours ago, AnonsMouse said:I'm not all that paranoid, I just don't have a want or need for most of today's devices.

Clearly

[jmccr8]

On 7/12/2021 at 1:53 PM, Orphalesion said:

Yeah, I never understood the appeal or purpose of Alexa

Some people cannopt stand to be alone in their heads and need someone/thing to keep them company. I've had Alexa and Siri in my house for the last couple of years and have never spoken to either one of them and only talk out loud to myself except when in the garage and I leave the phone in the house.

Actually I think the girls may have left me or maybe they are keeping each other company

[+Nuclear Wessel]

On 7/12/2021 at 4:07 PM, Seti42 said:

"smart" home devices are 100% unnecessary (and stupid) at best,

Why?

[rashore]

On 7/11/2021 at 10:28 AM, Eldorado said:

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday granted Amazon.com Inc. approval to use a radar sensor to sense motion and “enable contactless sleep tracing functionalities.”

Amazon on June 22 asked the FCC, which regulates airwave uses, for permission to market a device that uses radar. The technology captures movement in three dimensions, enabling a user to control its features through simple gestures and movements, the company said in a filing.

The capability, according to Amazon, could help people with “with mobility, speech, or tactile impairments,”and it could monitor sleep with a high degree of precision.

Full monty at Bloomberg

And at Tech Radar

Not surprised by this. A lot of people like to be monitored now. I realize Amazon is doing the wristband like Fitbit, and will be wanting to have the sleep monitoring capability a lot of people want.

There's been ads playing on the PlutoTV of a ring one can wear now for this- looks like a regular plain band ring, but does all the monitoring of awake and sleep like the wristband versions have. Not sure who makes it.

[Seti42]

11 hours ago, Nuclear Wessel said:

Why?

Smart devices don't work unless you have internet and wifi already in your home. If you have internet and wifi, you can use your PC or smartphone or tablet (which you also own, if you have internet/wifi in your home) to do all the things devices like Alexa do.

It's totally unnecessary. Maybe if you don't have working hands and need something voice activated, it works...But you can also use voice to activate devices with screens (PC, tablet, smartphone) so you have actual visual feedback to any questions you ask.

Basically, just use your PC or phone or tablet to do everything devices like Alexa do. You don't need Alexa at all. Ever.

[+Nuclear Wessel]

56 minutes ago, Seti42 said:

Smart devices don't work unless you have internet and wifi already in your home.

Not quite true. Smart devices don't necessarily require an internet connection.

Quote

 

If you have internet and wifi, you can use your PC or smartphone or tablet (which you also own, if you have internet/wifi in your home) to do all the things devices like Alexa do.

It's totally unnecessary. Maybe if you don't have working hands and need something voice activated, it works...But you can also use voice to activate devices with screens (PC, tablet, smartphone) so you have actual visual feedback to any questions you ask.

 

It seems like your argument for why it's "stupid and unnecessary" is that it basically serves the same function as other devices you may own?

While the smart devices (assistant devices in this context) may be able to effectively serve the same function, they do come with their perks. Perhaps you're rummaging through your fridge and realize that you're out of a specific product/you need to make a phone call to somebody and you can't find your phone but because of Alexa/Google Dot, all you need to do is say "Call Mom and Dad", or "Alexa, order more of x" from a different room entirely.

Quote

Basically, just use your PC or phone or tablet to do everything devices like Alexa do. You don't need Alexa at all. Ever.

In most cases, sure, you don't really need Alexa, or any other form of smart assistant... but for some, like myself, convenience is really important. I like the idea of just not having to concern myself with where my tablet/phone/laptop is if I want to know the weather, or if I want a specific song to play, or if I want to turn on lights in my home, or if I want to lock the doors, etc etc etc.

Just use your 80s station wagon to drive you to-and-from work. You don't need a 2021 Honda Civic. The station wagon essentially serves the same purpose, right? These new vehicles are all unnecessary and stupid.

[Seti42]

11 hours ago, Nuclear Wessel said:

Not quite true. Smart devices don't necessarily require an internet connection.

It seems like your argument for why it's "stupid and unnecessary" is that it basically serves the same function as other devices you may own?

While the smart devices (assistant devices in this context) may be able to effectively serve the same function, they do come with their perks. Perhaps you're rummaging through your fridge and realize that you're out of a specific product/you need to make a phone call to somebody and you can't find your phone but because of Alexa/Google Dot, all you need to do is say "Call Mom and Dad", or "Alexa, order more of x" from a different room entirely.

In most cases, sure, you don't really need Alexa, or any other form of smart assistant... but for some, like myself, convenience is really important. I like the idea of just not having to concern myself with where my tablet/phone/laptop is if I want to know the weather, or if I want a specific song to play, or if I want to turn on lights in my home, or if I want to lock the doors, etc etc etc.

Just use your 80s station wagon to drive you to-and-from work. You don't need a 2021 Honda Civic. The station wagon essentially serves the same purpose, right? These new vehicles are all unnecessary and stupid.

You're just justifying getting one. And it's not a "smart" device if it isn't connected to the internet or to another device like a phone or PC. That's the whole point. That's the "smart". Without internet access and/or a connection to another device, they're "dumb."

That's fine, if it brings you joy, great. I like all sorts of toys too.

[+Nuclear Wessel]

44 minutes ago, Seti42 said:

You're just justifying getting one.

I don't have one nor do I actively desire getting one anytime soon, aside from my iPhone/TV (I don't even use my TV much).

45 minutes ago, Seti42 said:

And it's not a "smart" device if it isn't connected to the internet or to another device like a phone or PC.

Yes, hence my response to your claim that "Smart devices don't work unless you have internet and wifi already in your home.": "Not quite true. Smart devices don't necessarily require an internet connection."

Quote

That's the whole point. That's the "smart". Without internet access and/or a connection to another device, they're "dumb."

A smart device is "an electronic device, generally connected to other devices OR networks (which doesn't necessitate the internet) via different wireless protocols such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, NFC, Wi-Fi, LiFi, 5G, etc., that can operate to some extent interactively and autonomously."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_device

[rashore]

The Halo isn't a smart device like smartwatches are, and it does not use the internet or wi-fi... it uses bluetooth for syncing. 

[GlitterRose]

There are already beds that track sleep habits. 

[+Desertrat56]

On 7/12/2021 at 1:53 PM, Orphalesion said:

Yeah, I never understood the appeal or purpose of Alexa

my daughter has about 6 Alexa devices in her home.   I just bought a new tv and you can't get a non-smart tv.  So, what ever I say within earshot of the television is recorded I am sure.   I do have a new laptop and the camera is covered except when I zoom or face time.  Luckily my work compter has no sound card or camera.   Not needed for my work.  If I need to talk to people I have a headset.

I saw an ad for a ring that does the same thing Amazon's radar device is supposed to do.  I think people with sleep problems need to just go out away from any cell towers and wifi and take a nap once a week.  There are still places that have no cell service or wifi like Chaco Canyon, NM

[+and-then]

On 7/12/2021 at 9:37 AM, AnonsMouse said:

Cell phone is always off unless I seriously need it

If it has a battery connected then it's letting the grid know where it is at all times.  Powering down really doesn't change that.  You should watch a YT video that Snowden made about the use of cell phones for tracking that he did with CIA.

[Orphalesion]

1 hour ago, Desertrat56 said:

my daughter has about 6 Alexa devices in her home.   I just bought a new tv and you can't get a non-smart tv.  So, what ever I say within earshot of the television is recorded I am sure.   I do have a new laptop and the camera is covered except when I zoom or face time.  Luckily my work compter has no sound card or camera.   Not needed for my work.  If I need to talk to people I have a headset.

I saw an ad for a ring that does the same thing Amazon's radar device is supposed to do.  I think people with sleep problems need to just go out away from any cell towers and wifi and take a nap once a week.  There are still places that have no cell service or wifi like Chaco Canyon, NM

I don't go quite that far, but I definitely don't want an Alexa. When I was visiting a friend in Canada we were talking about my return flight to Europe a day before my departure and about printing out my plane tickets. About a week after my return to Europe said friend messaged me that he suddenly got recommendations for cheap plane tickets and airline reviews and such on his computer and cell phone. Alexa listened, and did her work.

I'm also sceptical that cell phone, and even less wifi, signals alone disturb sleep, because my wifi-router is in my bedroom and I sleep like a baby (unless I get panic attacks at night, and those stem from my psychological problems). But I definitely think they cut into our sleeping time because people (including me) take their devices to bed or forget to silence them/switch them off before falling asleep

[+Desertrat56]

7 minutes ago, Orphalesion said:

I don't go quite that far, but I definitely don't want an Alexa. When I was visiting a friend in Canada we were talking about my return flight to Europe a day before my departure and about printing out my plane tickets. About a week after my return to Europe said friend messaged me that he suddenly got recommendations for cheap plane tickets and airline reviews and such on his computer and cell phone. Alexa listened, and did her work.

I'm also sceptical that cell phone, and even less wifi, signals alone disturb sleep, because my wifi-router is in my bedroom and I sleep like a baby (unless I get panic attacks at night, and those stem from my psychological problems). But I definitely think they cut into our sleeping time because people (including me) take their devices to bed or forget to silence them/switch them off before falling asleep

Alexa isn't the only device that listens.  I have a habit of copying my photos from my phone to the computer and deleting them.   I do not use the cloud but apparently my phone does.    I was at lunch with a friend telling her about a trip I took with my daughter and grandson over a year ago (then, now 3 years ago) and I mentioned the place we went.  At some point I opened my phone for some reason (probably to see what time it was) and there were photos I took on that trip.  As if the phone thought I would like to show them to my friend.