Your devices will become invisible in the future! Here are some of the companies that make this possible.
Picture this: It’s five degrees Celsius outside, and you’re freezing, but instead of adjusting the thermostat, your house automatically realizes it needs to heat up and changes the temperature accordingly. This is what ambient computing is all about. Ambient computing (also called ambient intelligence) refers to technology immersed in your environment. You are You should not consciously interact with it using screens or keyboards.
For those familiar with the technology, this may sound a lot like the Internet of Things (IoT), because these concepts directly related. The Internet of Things consists of all things Connected To the Internet, any smart devices. So, smart watches, bluetooth speakers, etc. are part of the Internet of Things. Ambient computing is what happens when you use these smart devices reacts With some. To help make the concept of ambient computing easier to understand, here’s a look at some of the startups working in this space and the technology they’re creating.
What is classified as ambient computing
Before we discuss ambient computing startups, it is important to know whether the product/service falls under the ambient computing category or not. To do this, it must be invisible, where the technology should blend into the background and not draw attention to itself. It should be easy for the average person to operate and be on the go embedded In everyday things to improve their functionality.
Not all ambient technologies may meet these criteria, but they do have some or the other characteristics listed above. The three companies we list below meet the criteria for invisibility, increased functionality, and ease of use.
Elios Health
Eleos Health is a startup focused on mental health trying to bring ambient intelligence to the health sector. The company has created an artificial intelligence (AI) voice assistant tool called Eleos that Runs in the background of a therapy session and the hygienist gives insights into the sessions. Doing so helps a mental health professional a path Result and progress of treatment sessions. As of 2022, more than 6.5 million minutes of treatment details have been logged by Eleos.
AppZen
AppZen is a US-based startup operating in the financial services sector. Artificial intelligence is used to automate the process Audit expenses. AppZen’s artificial intelligence is able to track employee expenses and Comparison to different data points to check whether the expenditures comply with company policy. The company itself reports being used by a third of Fortune 500 companies. It has successfully raised $102.59 million in funding from 2022.
sounds
Vocalytics is an audio analytics company that has created an AI tool capable of… analysis Voices and human voices. The tool has a wide range of functions. It helps healthcare professionals monitor causative agents, such as coughing, so that they can provide timely care to their patients. It can also be used in files Guarantee of high quality customer service. AI can understand customers’ feelings and how effectively a customer service assistant is engaging with them, thus improving overall business performance.
Ambient computing problems
While these companies’ unique product offerings may have convinced you of the benefits of ambient computing, there are some privacy concerns associated with this technology. All that is meant by artificial intelligence Learning from people’s behavior and adapt to their needs and preferences. However, the data collected in this process may not always be used with the best interests of the user in mind.
For example, there have been extensive discussions on how to use Amazon’s voice assistant speaker, the Echo Dot, eavesdropping On people’s private conversations. According to a report from researchers at the University of Washington, Alexa (the AI voice assistant technology that powers the Echo Dot) collects data from user interactions and sends it around the world. 41 advertising partners.
To overcome the privacy challenges associated with ambient technology, users must be given more control over their surrounding devices. this means to provide Camera shutters, a point to manually turn off microphones and the ability to eliminate user data that the device may store.
Privacy concerns notwithstanding, technology will continue to become more inclusive over the years. We are gradually seeing more and more smart devices in the market, so much so that one of the best inventions of 2022 has been Smart shower. By 2028, global ambient intelligence is expected to be valuable 225.35 billion US dollars, at a compound annual growth rate of 32.9%. We hope that this growth will be accompanied by efforts to address privacy concerns in this area.
Also read:
Header image courtesy of Freepik