This idea is a cross between TiVo and an IPod. You carry around a small device like an IPod that constantly records audio, perhaps holding several days worth. You might even wire yourself with a quality microphone.
Whenever something worthwhile happens, you hit a button to create a bookmark in the audio stream. Maybe you can snap a digital photo and send it wirelessly (bluetooth?) to the storage unit as well.
Whenever someone disputes what was said or not said, you rewind your box (while it keeps recording, of course) and play it back perfectly. Did she really tell you to take out the trash 3 times? What was the name of that guy you met in the elevator? The applications are endless.
Eventually, as technology progresses, I'd like to see a recorded video stream, perhaps from several camera angles (think the Fear Factor face cam), so you could, for example, rewind to your tenth birthday party and see the expression on your face when you opened your presents.
Nate betterdifferent.com
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My friend Tom Schroeder was a big part of this idea. He shared it with someone last night who replied, "your idea sucks! how am I supposed to cheat on my girlfriend?!" :) I can see it now: "Honey, why did you turn your recorder off for four hours after work yesterday?
Also, I wanted to add that this concept requires periodic downloading and more permanently storing the recording of your life, say on your home PC. Eventually, I'd like to see it stream wirelessly onto an Internet storage "drive." See: One Big Computer, for a way we can all share an efficient, redundant "Universal Drive" on the Internet. Storage capacity is growing FAST!
Imagine being able to study the life of, say, Albert Einstein, minute by minute and hearing what ideas he pondered but dismissed. How great would it be to witness the development of the theory of relativity?
Future historians will love this.
Well, I don't want to meet you, with your recorder on. I'm a privacy loving European and I would not talk to anybody who will record what I say. In the Netherlands, where I live, there is also a law prohibiting recording conversations without asking first.
(Maybe this is different in the US, where the Bush administration seems to be scrapping the word 'privacy' from the dictionary... ;) )
We could start a longer discussion about privacy. In short: there will be no way to avoid more and more and smaller and smaller recording devices, and their usefulness will grow. We will all have to get used to less privacy in this regard.
I think that most people's need for privacy is really a need for privacy from their government because they disagree about what should be legal or not - that is they have a different definiton of right and wrong than their legislators do. Take involuntary government away (yes, I am an anarcho-capitalist) and there is no reason to hide anything. See this idea for a discussion about Voluntary Government.
For more: betterdifferent.com/government
Nate
With internet & computers, humans are becoming "private". There is no human intervention in many of our activities today. Wonder how this will work when the future is going to be "digital conversation" only.
here is just one example of many such devices being constructed today click here
Cool link, but that product (from 2002) has far too little storage capacity.
The future of this product (I like to call it LifeTiVo, but obviously there might be some trademark law problems with using that name) has recorded video as well as audio, perhaps from optical sensor(s) on a more fashionable hat or built into sunglasses. In the meantime we can snap a digital photos with a stand-alone digital camera and instantly send them (via Bluetooth wireless or upcoming wireless USB) to the LifeTiVo where it is stored with the audio stream.
STORAGE ON THE DEVICE:
Your example has 32 Megabytes(MB) of Random Access Memory (RAM memory chips). We need at least 1,500 MB of memory, or 1.5 Gigabytes (GB) per 24-hour recording (128,000 bits per second .mp3 x 60 seconds x 60 minutes x 24 hours / 8 bits per byte = 1,382,400,000 bytes), preferably 8GB or more for CD-quality or even better recordings. Based on the price of solid state (chip-based) RAM versus hard drives (spinning magnetic discs) and power requirements of each, we will probably decide to go with a hard-drive and RAM combination, writing to RAM for a short time (25 minutes requires <32MB for .mp3 stereo format or 128MB for uncompressed CD-quality mono) and then spinning up the hard drive periodically to dump out the RAM to disk. To make things easy, let’s start with CD-quality mono recording (one microphone), so we could expect 24 hours of audio to require about 8GB of storage, raw and uncompressed (16 bits per sample x 44,100 samples per second x 60 seconds x 60 minutes x 24 hours / 8 bits per byte = 7,620,480,000 bytes). So, we could fit almost three days into a common 20GB portable audio player, like an <a href=”http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html”>Apple iPod or the new Rio Karma, and still be able to use it as a music player (music will get recorded when the user listens to it... but this is a good thing to use when searching the recording later, read on…).
PERMANENT STORAGE
At night (in a docking cradle near the bed?), the user can dump the day’s recording into a PC for more permanent storage, either on a giant hard drive or burned to DVD-R's or upcoming blue-ray discs holding 30GB a piece. Eventually we could have the device communicate over any available WiFi Internet connection it finds throughout the day to transmit files to permanent storage. Then, the downloading could be automatic and transparent to the user.
Another option for (future) storage would be a distributed peer-to-peer network like the One Big Computer, if I can ever raise enough money to get it going or convince someone to develop it.
COMPRESSION:
Lossless compression storage requirements, like the Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) vary based on the actual sounds being recorded. They can give you exact CD-quality while reducing file size about 50% (maybe not as much reduction if we start with a mono signal). Lossless is superior to .mp3 or other lossy-compressed formats for this application because we want to preserve every sound... future historians might want to listen to the ambient background noise. Eventually we will want to extend the recordings beyond the range of human hearing (this is related to a new idea I just had I will call "Dog Ear"!). For now, CD-quality recording hardware maps 20 Hertz (Hz) (20 cycles per second, super-low rumbling bass sounds) to 20,000 Hz (super-high pitched squeals), the typical limits of human hearing.
Q. Why not use compression to reduce the storage needed in the portable device?
A. The power needed to do the compression computations would (probably?) kill the battery life. Design goal #1: We want the LifeTiVo to record continuously for a minimum of 16 hours straight without a recharge (people will take them off when sleeping). The place for compression (if any) is in the permanent storage of the recordings where we have a powerful PC to crunch the data. However, I think there is something to be said for maintaining uncompressed recordings, making it as easy as possible for future historians to figure out how to ‘play’ our recordings and understand what it was like to live in 2004.
BATTERY LIFE:
The Rio Karma says it can play back for 15 hours, but if it was recording and compressing into MP3 format constantly during that whole time it would probably cut that in half. It can't record at all as far as I can tell, but there are a couple of available attachments for the Apple iPod. One is Belkin’s Universal Microphone Adapter.
Maybe we just need LifeTiVo to record audio without any compression and save that step for when the recording is dumped into the home PC at night. That would save a lot on computing power and cost, but would double storage requirements (compared to FLAC) or multiply storage requirements times five compared to MP3.
FUTURE FEATURES:
- storage and battery life that can last 2-3 days, uncompressed CD-quality stereo, using two microphones built into the temples of glasses (near the ears)
- can synchronize recording (create a bookmark) when a camera phone picture is taken and sent to an Internet account via MMS. See SMS.ac to learn about SMS and MMS applications being developed.
- the device (or PC at home) does voice recognition on the recording to provide a searchable text of the day... an automatic personal journal, uncensored. Eventually we can search without text, only voice. We say the words just like we remember them being spoken, or even make the same noise we heard and the computer searches for the matching section of recording. Eventually, we could play, sing or hum a song that we remember and the system would pull up the record of the moment we remembered it from. It would almost be like time travel.
- Stereo video recording from optical sensors near the lenses of glasses
nate
betterdifferent.com
---4/27/2004---the website feedback I just sent to O'Neill----any one have another idea for a company that might develop this??---
I just read about O'Neill Europe's "wearable electronics" snowboard jacket here:http://www.gizmo.com.au/public/News/news.asp?articleid=2520
Which inspired me to contact you. I want to work for you to develop a water-proof wearable audio / video recorder cell phone. The initial idea is here: (this page on whynot.net)http://whynot.net/view_idea.php?id=992
Imagine: stereo video cameras and microphones on a wetsuit collar, linked wirelessly via a cell phone. Get camera-angles from inside a tube, and share it with multiple people instantly on their color cell phone screens. Also record your own super-realistic surfing experience (suitable for virtual reality). Now the whole world can feel what it is like to surf.
It is the combination of the latest technology and fashion that makes this so exciting. I have the perfect background (EE), contacts and leadership experience to lead this project and make it a reality for O'Neill. Let's do it.
I am living in San Diego but would relocate to Santa Cruz to work on this. My fiance and I just visited SC this past weekend after a Silicon Valley job interview... what an awesome town!
Please let me know if you are interested.
Nate Johnson
n_johnson@yahoo.com858-824-9003 (h)520-405-9286 (c)
When we integrate this with the GPS and Digital Photos idea, we will be able to use the digital photos as bookmarks [time and placemarks] to share or replay the experience.
When we add GPS information, and enough people running around snapping photos at a particular time, we can "time travel" and "space travel" and see in near virtual reality what it is like at a different time and place.
History will never be the same. We will no longer be bound by time and space, being able to zap ourselves into another time and place, virtually.
PANAORAMIC FIELD VISION (left& right AND up and down):
This is the latest evolution of this free, public domain idea on whynot.net. http://www.whynot.net/view_idea.php?id=992. It really enhances and brings together a lot of ideas I have been developing:-------------Use one or multiple reflective curved surfaces to increase your field of view. -------------Example:By blocking out the sun with a reflective sphere, then taking a photo of the sphere (the camera lens in the shadow of the sun) you will record the curved reflection of everything around you. Then you post this image on the Internet (good quality camera phone would work OK). Then software "un-curves" the information from the circular image, so that someone using the Internet can "spin" their view around in any direction. (similar to Quicktime VR)
The idea is not to just snap single pictures but to actually share PANORAMIC FIELD VISION video.
If you use a curved surface/sphere in front of each eye, you get true 3D. Imagine wearing a virtual reality headset where you can look in any direction. By having two reflective curved surfaces and recording stereo views (both audio and video) the audience will be able to look around and see and hear the appropriate 3-D view. The viewers will need stereo speakers near (or inside) their ears, and software will need to capture a similiar multi-axis sound field, then "uncurve it" based on the viewpoint vector of the viewer. (this will take some clever engineering to correctly playback stereo audio for any given view, considering reflection from a person's shoulders and other human-acoustic properties).
It is not necessary to block the sun, this can be used in doors or whatever, that was just for an example.
The person who took the picture would be more in the shot (capturing facial expressions, etc) if the whole device is not right above their head. You have a curved reflective surface in front of each eye, then another pair up above (to the front, maybe also split apart). The wide angle reflection of the upper surfaces in the lower surfaces shows you a PANAORAMIC 3-D FIELD VIEW.
You will be more aware of everything happening around you.
more soon!
-Nate Johnson 5/2/2004 9:39am PST
http://n8johnson.editme.com
An oGo is a system of devices that let's you record, share and re-live your life experiences. Formerly referred to as "LifeTivo," this system can evolve because it is a public domain invention (not patented) and can use a variety of components from many manufacturers.
I think that the oGo is the next step in the logical progression of consumer behavior, as we desire to share our experiences with others. Witness concert-goers snapping cameraphone pics and short video clips and sharing them with friends at home, live.
I created a list of people in my personal address book that have seen the first prototype oGo screen / system or who I thought would be interested in keeping track of the oGo as it evolves. If you do not wish to receive further updates about the oGo, please just reply to this email and I will remove you from the list.
---------------------------
I will soon start a wiki website called http://evolvethis.com and the first thing to evolve is the oGo, beginning with the oGo Screen.
The oGo Screen is a personal rearview mirror on a headset boom that is transparent yet reflective, also curved. In use, it floats about 3" in front of your mouth. You see an image of your face and a wide angle view of what is behind you. Awesome for snapping camera phone pics (or video!) to share not only what you are seeing, but a picture of your face superimposed with your own facial expression (and lip movement).
When combined with mobile phone video calls, GPS, and head tracking, it has the potential to create the experience of actually being somewhere you are not (virtual reality). By focusing a temple-mounted camera on the oGo Screen, a wireless PC/PDA/phone in your backpack or pocket could track your eyes (and your line of sight). With some processing and a temple-mounted laser, it could project text or evenually video on the oGo Screen based on what you are looking at... look at your wrist, there is the time, look at a face, there is your notes about that client, etc. There are tons of future applications. Alternatively, I just read about a tiny projector that can project images through the lens of your eye, directly onto your retina -- that would also work -- different variations of the oGo will evolve to use the best components available.
The best part is that people can quickly and easily make their own oGo Screen out of cheap sunglass lenses, floral stem wire, soda straws and an old baseball hat. I am currently making a second prototype out of a telescoping metal pointer and probably a telephone headset. The prototype is fun to use now, even without any electronics attached. You can hold the lense of your camera phone (or mini-DV camcorder, as I have been doing) up to your temple and record away.
The idea behind evolvethis.com is that if we share inventions and improvements openly in the public domain without patent or copyright, we can advance and improve the inventions very rapidly, for everyone's benefit. I intend to keep the instructions for how to make your own oGo Screen freely available on the website and encourage people to make improvements and share them. I will sell kits with the raw materials on eBay for people that don't want to run around and pick up the items themselves. Also I intend to test and make recommendations for complete oGo systems, and sell the whole system as kits.
If someone else makes a better kit or improves on the instructions with a new version, great. I'll keep photos, links and instructions for people selling kits for various different versions on evolvethis.com, ranking them by page views or votes. Meanwhile, I will come up with more new inventions (I have too many as it is). If someone comes up with a better way to run an evolving invention website... well, hopefully they will hire me to work for them. Or... there is always the next idea to work on. :-)
I'll send out the next email when evolvethis.com is up and running with photos and video of (and from!) the prototypes, including free instructions to make your own!
One question: I am looking for a tiny USB webcam on the end of a flexible snake, preferably with a clip and a light built-in.... any ideas? The ones I have found so far are pretty bulky. I have enough stuff strapped to my head as it is! Or maybe I could use a button-hole spy camera and capture the analog video.
The oGo's battery life is a concern. I was looking at the new Sony VAIO TR3SP mini-notebook with the available extended battery pack. I figure that with the screen closed and some hacking it could record MPEG-4 video directly to a DVD-R in my backpack. Does the TR3 have analog video in?
Wait until you see the video of the security guards in the shopping mall telling me to stop recording -- coming soon!
Whenever I write these ideas down I post them on whynot.net and my website(s) to establish "prior art," in an attempt to prevent someone from patenting the oGo. I seriously considered filing for a patent and then releasing it into the public domain, but I strongly believe that the entire patent and copyright system is a net harm to society and I feel that I would be a hypocrite for using it at all.
Nate
My ongoing search for the best way to record my life...
I am trying to strap something to myself that will record (and even transmit) good quality audio and video of everything I experience. Ideally, the battery would last all day.
Looking for components to help me do this, I am leaning toward a super compact laptop for its storage, connectivity and multimedia compatibility (versus an iPod-like device), perhaps using a USB webcam and mics, or perhaps just starting with audio-only and still photos from a bluetooth camera phone. Actually I'd like to test all these configurations.
At the same time, I am looking for new career, so my resume is below and attached. I would like to run a free website where I document and test various devices rigged up for the above purpose, but I could really use an investor to get started. $50,000 would allow me to do it right, including some contract work from artists and programmers, but even $10,000 could work. I am experienced in digital multimedia technology, running websites and building online communities... and I have several connections that will help.
The website would no doubt get plenty of free publicity. As an example, the website that I run part-time from my own server at home (it is moving to professional host shortly) is http://betterdifferent.com, a full-time site of mine would be even more professional and visually engaging, using Flash, etc. I am also planning to run a website devoted to reviewing and promoting new uses for wiki website technology (http://n8johnson.editme.com) - I just started it a few days ago.
I look forward to hearing what you think about this idea, and any ideas you have about the best ways try to "record my life." We unofficially called it LifeTiVo, since ideally you'd be able to rewind your experience to recall that guy's name you met on the elevator, but a new name was needed and it is here: oGo.
This idea is firmly in the public domain, we developed it on Whynot.net (this page): Perfect Personal Audio [and video] Memory
-------My Resume / CV.
I just saw that someone in the UK got a year in jail for using a camera phone in court.
http://www.textually.org/picturephoning/archives/003771.htm
The social issues that come from being able to record everything everywhere will have to be worked out. Personally, I think that as recording devices become smaller and integrated into PDAs and phones, it will be impossible for the government to control what and when people record, and we will all have to adapt to this disruptive technology.
There are too many potential benefits and it will simply be too hard to effectively outlaw it.
As for the privacy dabate goes, one must remember that on private property we can control our immediate privacy, while on public property we give up control to immediate privacy. Just ask any celebrity.
Here is where this idea can make a real difference. Have the police wearing this, collecting video (but only the last 10 min of video continuously). When something happens they press a button so that the recording doesn't record over the previous 10 min. This way there is a video record of a major event 10 min prior and about 60 min after the event started. This would be invaluable in court.
This does seem inevitable. I would treat my recordings like a diary.
Regarding the motivation behind privacy, I think there will always be people looking to take advantage of others, even if there is no official "government".