Microsoft will end support for the Cortana app on Windows later this year. But it may be working on a new digital assistant for wearables. Apparently, the company has applied for a patent for an AI-powered smart backpack.
The AI-powered smart backpack will have a camera, microphone and other sensors to collect visual and auditory data from the environment. The bag will then use this contextual data to complete user-issued voice commands.
According to the patent application, the backpack can provide navigation assistance, add calendar events, compare prices while shopping, and more. There will of course be access to the user’s data to help provide relevant information.
Microsoft notes that most current digital assistants are limited to the home and aren’t as useful when on the go. This backpack aims to offer a more portable artificial intelligence that is aware of the context around it.
“First of all, a wearable device that the user wears is offered with a digital assistant that is compatible with existing concepts.
Second, a user can interact with the digital assistant hands-free using voice commands and one or more auditory, visual, and/or haptic feedback without distracting the user from the current task.
Third, the digital assistant can sense the user’s surroundings and is therefore context aware, allowing the user to issue contextual commands to the digital assistant.”
It seems that the user can activate the artificial intelligence of the backpack through the buttons on the straps, triggering different functions with different touch and hold actions. Potential use cases include asking for directions hands-free while walking, or asking a backpack to identify an item while shopping or checking reviews.
This patent clearly demonstrates Microsoft’s interest in expanding its AI capabilities beyond watches and glasses into wearables. The patent strengthens Microsoft’s broader efforts to integrate AI into its products and services, from Office 365 to Bing. But it also shows the experimental side of AI development. Talking backpacks could be an accessible way to showcase the potential of artificial intelligence.
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