Smart home Assistant Microphone Privacy

This concept was a continuation on our work on sensor privacy. As the Amazon Echo gained popularity, there was no way to mute the device without physically pressing the mute button, meaning people would leave their device on and listening even if they were uncomfortable with the idea of it. We made a demo whereby an embedded voice activated system that is not connected to the internet could physically press the mute button. This allowed the user not to break the voice interaction model of the device, while maintaining their privacy when they don’t want to be listened to.

Why it matters: Having a smart home device that is always on and listening lends a sense of unease. “It’s creepy,” is something we heard many times in interviews with study participants. However, to turn off the microphone, the user must physically push the mute button, something which few users do, and which breaks the voice interaction model. Having a voice sensor that is not connected to the internet that can physically actuate the button maintains the interaction model while providing peace of mind to the user that they can stop their device from listening to them.

Contributions: Ideation, physical prototype, patent application.

Team: Eric Faggin, Mary Baker.