A patent recently filed by Google for an interactive TV service is chock full of new details, but the most interesting is this one: "an image capture device (e.g., digital camera, video recorder, etc.) can be used to measure how many viewers are watching or listening to a broadcast."
According to the patent, the main point of the system is to identify audio within a TV broadcast and compare it to the appropriate reference material for identification. After that, it aggregates "personalized information related to the media broadcast."
What sort of personalized info? On one hand, Google wants to layer in complementary websites and other data—I hope this means the IMDB tab I've been waiting for, but it also refers to the old "buy what the hot actress on Letterman is wearing" function. On the other hand, Google is really trying to turn your TV watching into a social experience that would be a lot smoother than logging into a computer. The goal is to share a viewing and chatting experience simultaneously, but this doesn't seem to account for the fact that DVRs have made realtime TV watching an antiquated concept.
More importantly to us, but way down in the filing, another form of analysis besides audio evaluation is discussed, that of using a still or video camera for "pattern matching":
Various known pattern-matching algorithms can be applied to an image or a sequence of images to determine the number of viewers present in a broadcast environment during a particular broadcast. The images and or data derived from the images can be used in combination with audio descriptors to gather personalized information for a user, compute popularity ratings, or for any other purpose.
For any other purpose? OK, Google—thanks for making me feel reeeeeeaaaal comfortable about your plans. [US Patent Office via New Scientist]












Comments
-Every breath you take. Every move you make.
That's what scares me sometime, one day your camera is turned on without you knowing.
In Russia.... TV watch you!
the more voyeur the better
@impliedsurprise: Those Russia jokes are f*cking stupid and old.
that's no problem, because i'm a pretty interesting guy. Totally worth watching.
The other day, i went on a date with a girl named Mercedes who had "man hands", and she cracked a lobster claw and opened a non-twistoff beer without a beer opener thingy. Then we hopped in my Delorean, and went to makeout point, but she drank too much and passed out, so i put her in the trunk and took her home. Then i got a call on my special phone to hear that some horses had been poisoned, so i rolled up to my command center in the back of a rolling semi, got my orders, and took care of some moderately evil scum. Seems like a waste to fight horse poisoners with an expensive car and semi truck command center, but whatever, it's not my money.
I was starting to get a bit tired, so i picked up a friend, played some Sega hockey, and we went to Vegas. There i drank too much, so i stood on a table in a diner acting a fool.
Since it was almost morning, i went to Mexico, killed a bunch of vampires with George Clooney, and then went home.
Google is smart to put me on tv.
@GODZ
Actually, this was the one time he did it correctly. This was actually one of the original jokes performed by the artist, and the entire 'In Russia TV watches you' joke is commentary on civilian surveillance in Russia. The joke was a hyperbole maybe, but here is a literal possibilty - and it's only appropriate the joke is used.
How can there be this many comments without a reference to 1984? Orwell had it about right, except instead of totalitarianism, we're ruled by consumerism.
Hmmm... though not exactly like the show, this idea reminds me of Max Headroom (the series, not the character).
C'mon, it's Google! I'm sure it's totaly benign. Like asking for your Social Security when you sign up for google wallet.... which ties into your gmail cookie... which then ties into your search quieries... which then are fed to Justice department. It's totally innocent. A company who's motto is "do no evil" could not be evil, even if stockholders interfere and try to turn the company into an evil spying, ever watching, logging, always monitoring your activites monster.
See, so no reason to worry. Google is in control.
/sarcastic mode: off
ok.. i like google stuff.. i use lots of it..
but that old myth about google actually being a front for the FBI is starting to actualy look plausible.
PS/ you should have used a pic from 1984.. where the tvs watched everyone.
Did you know George Orwell's book was actually called 198Google? They changed the title because the dum dums at the publishing house mistakenly thought Google was spelled Googol.
SUPERBAD made a very interesting observation about being consumerism-ruled. We already are. We have sports characters telling us where to bank, what to eat, who to call for insurance etc. We got pop stars telling us what to drink, what to wear, where to shop, and what to drive. We have actors telling us which drugs to take, what booze to drink, and what to smoke. And if that wasn't enough, there's Nicolodeon to tell our kids which toys to buy. As long as those toys keep the aforementioned kids away from playground or book - e.g. activities that may interfere with their weaning into perfect little consumers, who will grow up to be BIIIIIIG consumers. My son can't read yet but he knows Sprite when he sees it. He does not know how to count yet but knows that Spiderman had 3 movies. scary. Almost makes me think that maybe Amish DO have it right, it's US who are a$$-backwards. sobering thought.
I've been thinking about Googles "we want to know what color your underwear is"-strategy for quite some time now. And I decided to use Google services only when I really need them.
I don't say they're not innovative but they way too curious for my taste.
And I don't like the possibility of someone remotely activating my webcam. It's just plain wrong.
@cynep: ...completely agree with you. A lot of those same people (CEO's, actors, etc.) end up in government positions. Many complain about separation of church and state. I'm more worried about the unification of corporate and state!
The problem is...if your son shows up to school in his home sewn clothes, drinking tap water, dropped off by dad in the wind-powered triped machine...he's probably going to grow up very mad. It's hard to explain to kids that everyone else is wrong...
I can't wait for the new Social Security Tab, make it a lot easier for Identity theft! :) Ug...Glad I don't participate in the whole camera thing..but makes sense why Steve Jobs put the cameras in the Power Book Macs, he is on the board at Google after all! :)
how does your son understand the concept of "3" if he can't count? some understanding of counting and numbers is required for that even to be within his realm of comprehension.
maybe he can't count 1-10 outloud like you'd like for him to be able to do to competently pass kindergarten, which makes sense if he's not of that age yet, but he can count.
well finally they will be able to capture video of television watchers exploding after viewing a "Blipvert"
Now all we need id Edison Carter :)
@Godz: In soviet Russia, You're f*cking stupid and old!
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