A new baby monitor could use AI to alert parents before infant awakes
A new
baby monitor could use AI to alert parents before infant awakes
By Lianne Kolirin, CNN September
10, 2019
Now Google is considering technology that could use artificial
intelligence to keep your child safe.
The
internet search giant has worked on a product that promises to warn parents
before their little one has even woken up.
The
device would aim to determine when the baby is "in a non-auditory
discomfort state" and inform caregivers up to 10 minutes ahead of them
waking, according to a patent application
filed by Google in the United States.
According
to the document, which was lodged last year but has only just been made public,
eye-tracking technology would detect when a baby is awake, asleep or close to
stirring.
Using
video streaming, audio recordings and AI, the device would monitor the baby's
behavior against a database of normal patterns.
Based
on the infant's movements and any noise it makes, it would detect anything out
of character and subsequently issue an alert if the baby appears uncomfortable.
It
would also take into account the baby's position, whether he or she is lying
down, kneeling, standing up or otherwise.
An
alert could be issued before the baby cries or even wakes up, according to the
patent, which was first reported by CNBC.
The
patent filing states: "While a baby's cry may alert his parents to the
baby being in distress, sometimes a baby will not audibly indicate his
distress. For example, if the baby is tossing in his sleep, is awake and moving
around when the baby is expected to be asleep, or worse, is choking, tangled in
bedding, or otherwise is in a dangerous position, the baby is in distress but
may not be crying.
"Therefore,
in some circumstances, a parent may wish to be alerted to the occurrence of
such a worrisome situation."
It
could also identify when the baby "is likely to wake up imminently,"
be it in the next two, five or even 10 minutes, according to the filing.
A
spokesperson for Google told CNN: "We file patent applications on a
variety of ideas that our employees come up with. Some of those ideas later
mature into real products or services, some don't. Prospective product
announcements should not necessarily be inferred from our patent applications."
Earlier
this year Pampers, owned by Procter & Gamble, announced a line of smart diapers to
track a child's urine and sleep. The Lumi by Pampers line includes an activity
sensor that secures to a "landing" on the front of a baby's diaper.
It comes with a baby monitor and a 10-day supply of diapers. The sensor works
with a corresponding app to log the child's pee and identify patterns.
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