Author Archives: Sarang Sheth

SpaceX Exosuit Concept Helps Astronauts Retain Muscle Mass in Space using Resistance Training

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You can see up to 20% of muscle loss in just 11 days of being in space. Astronauts have to exercise nearly two and a half hours each and every day to prevent muscular atrophy. Sounds pretty scary, doesn’t it? Exposure to zero gravity causes muscle fibers to shrink, making astronauts much weaker and less coordinated. Whoever thought that the lack of gravity could affect our health THIS much??

Designed to help astronauts stay fit through regular movements, the Cosmofit Exosuit was imagined for astronauts making their way to the moon with SpaceX’s upcoming mission that aims to set up a lunar base to replace the ISS in 2030. Created by Minwoo Lee, a student at Hongik University, the Cosmofit is designed to be worn indoors, and uses resistance-based training to turn simple activities like walking or reaching out for something into a micro-workout. Astronauts therefore exert more to perform basic activities, and can retain their muscle mass while in a zero gravity environment.

Designer: Minwoo Lee

The Cosmofit bodysuit is made of two distinct parts – the suit itself, and the mechanical augmentations that attach onto the back and around your waist, or the ‘exo’ part of the suit. The suit features electrode pads laid out around different muscle groups, providing electrical stimulation to different muscles in the body to keep them active and healthy, while also helping with muscle recovery after stressful workouts. By providing electrical pulses, the suit can help rebuild muscle tissue and help with recuperation.

Meanwhile, the exoskeleton on the outside uses a series of motors to provide mechanical resistance to help you exert more pressure while moving around. This turns regular activities into mini workouts (sort of like jogging or exercising with weights strapped to your ankles) that prevent muscles from atrophying or growing weak.

The EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) suit can be worn for long periods of time, with the exoskeleton only strapped on for certain hours in the day. There’s even a potential for the exoskeleton to track vitals and fitness levels through activity, giving astronauts a comprehensive look at how healthy they are. Two and a half hours of exercise a day sounds like quite a task… turning just daily movements into a fitness regimen sounds like a much easier way to stay healthy in zero gravity, doesn’t it??

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World’s First “Coffee-Concrete” Pavement in Australia is 30% Stronger and uses Recycled Coffee Grounds

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Did you know that the most widely used substance in the entire world, after water, is concrete?? You’d think it was paper or plastic or wood even, but more concrete is used every single day across the world than any of those materials… and for what it’s worth, it’s considered one of the least nature-friendly materials ever, but researchers at RMIT University of Melbourne are working on a concrete that uses an unlikely recycled material – coffee! The researchers have developed a new type of concrete that incorporates waste coffee grounds in a way that not just makes the concrete more sustainable, but also makes it 30% stronger than regular concrete!

The secret ingredient? Biochar. By heating coffee grounds in a low-oxygen environment at 350°C (662°F), researchers transform them into this charcoal-like material. Biochar doesn’t decompose over time, making it a perfect candidate for concrete reinforcement. This innovative method tackles two environmental concerns simultaneously. It reduces reliance on sand, a finite resource that’s increasingly strained by demand, and diverts coffee grounds from landfills, where they decompose and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

Designer: RMIT Australia

The project is now taking a crucial step from the lab to real-world testing. The researchers have partnered with a local council to lay down sections of sidewalk made with coffee biochar concrete alongside standard concrete for comparison. This side-by-side trial will provide valuable insights into how the new material performs under everyday wear and tear from foot traffic.

The potential benefits extend beyond environmental sustainability. The increased strength of coffee concrete could lead to reduced construction costs. The researchers believe that the higher strength might allow for a decrease in the amount of cement needed in the mix, potentially by up to 10%. This translates to lower material costs and a smaller environmental footprint from cement production.

“We’re taking those experiments and putting them in ground and in the field today, we’re going to have people walking across the concrete that includes these products, and RMIT is going to be coming back and doing testing to see how they stand up,” said Shane Walden, the Council’s Director of Assets and Operations. “This not only helps improve the knowledge level of our contractors and our staff, but it also has lots of other benefits and benefits that are important to our community. This includes helping the environment, acting sustainably and, most importantly, reducing waste to landfill and having a circular economy.”

However, coffee isn’t the only contender. The researchers are exploring the use of biochar derived from other organic waste materials as well. Each type of biochar has unique properties that could influence the performance of the concrete in different ways. By understanding these variations, researchers can tailor the biochar type to achieve specific desired qualities in the final concrete product.

This first-of-its-kind trial ‘paves’ the way for a more sustainable future in construction. By incorporating waste materials into building materials, we can lessen our environmental impact and potentially create stronger, more durable infrastructure. The success of this trial could lead to a future where our daily walks contribute not just to our health but also to a greener planet. Now if only our pavements also smelled like coffee!

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This Juicer gives you Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice in Less Time than it takes to Brew Coffee

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Orange juice is great for you. It’s packed with Vitamin C, antioxidants, citric acid, and anti-inflammatory compounds. The problem is that juicing an orange is a little more annoying than it should be. You need to cut the oranges, manually juice each cut half, strain the pulp, and then wash your hands because you got juice all over them. It takes way too long to get one glass of OJ and you end up smelling like oranges in the process. It’s much more convenient to buy a carton of orange juice, and that’s quite a shame… Which is why a Barcelona-based startup Citring designed the Citring One, a citrus juicer that works about as fast as a Keurig or a Nespresso takes to make coffee. Just add the oranges, press a button, and you’ve got yourself a glass of fresh juice. Sounds too good to be true, right?

Designer: Citring

Click Here to Buy Now: $289 $409 (30% off). Hurry, only 42/150 left! Raised over $100,000.

Well, if you think of how Nespresso and Keurig made coffee-brewing as simple as inserting a pod and hitting a button, the Citring One does the same for all citrus-based fruits. About the size of a coffee maker, the Citring One squeezes and juices 3 fruits at a time, eliminating the need for elbow grease, straining pulp, and cleaning yourself up after. Just open the lid and insert up to 3 whole citrus fruits in the silicon container. Shut the lid, place a glass under the dispenser, and hit the button on the Citring One. Once you do, something rather interesting happens. A slicer ascends upwards, guillotining the fruit into two halves, before using compressed air to press into the cut fruit and squeeze its juice out. Juice is dispensed to your glass through the same silicone container, so there is no need to clean any additional parts.

1) Put up to 3 whole oranges in the machine. No need to cut them. 2) In about a minute, your juice will be ready. 3) Citring will automatically squeeze the oranges and pour the juice into your glass.

The entire process is absolutely foolproof because you don’t need to do anything at all. The Citring One cuts and juices your fruit for you, giving you empty hemispheres of squeezed fruit that you can then throw away. The interface has all but one button, so you don’t need to worry about any settings, modes, or a smartphone app that tells you how much Vitamin C intake you’ve had all day. Drinking juice is good for you and the simpler the process the better. Every few uses, the BPA-free food-grade silicone containers inside the Citring One can be removed and rinsed under running water or in your dishwasher. The technology under its hood is impressive, and the overall product even secured an iF Design Award this year for how simple and foolproof it is.

Aside from being a little larger than your citrus juicer or even your blender, the Citring One does sport a $289 price tag which would make anyone reconsider… But think about a few things. You’d pay the same amount for a coffee machine, so why not a juicer? After all, juice is great for you. Secondly, those cartons of juice are filled with more sugar than fruit, and the costs add up when you end up buying a carton every week. Fresh fruit (especially from a farmer’s market) is a lot cheaper, and actually helps you regulate how much added sugar you consume in a day. Moreover, the Citring One works with other citrus fruits too, from lemons and limes to grapefruits, tangerines, mandarins, blood oranges, etc. It’s perfect for people who love consuming fruit, and just personally, makes for a great addition at juice cafes or restaurants/canteens wanting to offer juice that doesn’t get fresher than this. The Citring One comes in 2 colors, an all-black version and a stormtrooper black + white variant, and ships globally.

Click Here to Buy Now: $289 $409 (30% off). Hurry, only 42/150 left! Raised over $100,000.

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This $13 Tactical EDC Knife Packs Multiple Life-saving Features In A Beautifully Rustic Design

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I assure you you’ve never seen a tactical knife so beautifully rustic as this.

Most tactical EDC tend to go for either a minimalist design with slick surfaces, a cutting-edge all-metal design that’s made to intimidate, or a gentlemanly design with prim details and classic materials. The Mossy Oak Mini Folding Pocket Knife is none of those. With an aesthetic that looks like nature took over the design process somewhere down the middle, the Mossy Oak Mini is an EDC knife that looks rough around the edges, but is a sophisticated flipper that packs a deadly punch. Aside from being a folding knife, the Mossy Oak Mini also has a bottle opener, a seatbelt cutter, and a glass breaker, all woven into its salt-of-the-earth homespun-ish aesthetic.

Designer: Mossy Oak

Click Here to Buy Now

The knife’s beauty lies in its imperfections. It doesn’t opt for glossy handles and polished blades. The blade sports a gorgeous stonewashed finish, while the handle itself is hand-made from walnut wood, with its gorgeous wood-grain that shines through beautifully thanks to the lack of a polish or varnish coating. The result is a knife that FEELS natural to the touch. Your eyes fall in love first, then your hands, resulting in an EDC whose appeal lies on a multisensorial level.

The blade itself comes with a clip-point style, sporting an edge with a curved belly and a pronounced tip that makes the Mossy Oak Mini great for cutting, piercing, slashing, scraping, whittling, etc. The curved edge allows you to rock your knife while you cut, making it easier to chop items against a surface. A groove at the rear end of the edge lets you comfortably rest your index finger, while jimping on the top gives you a place to rest your thumb.

However, that isn’t all that the Mossy Oak Mini is good for. A scalloped edge on top of the blade gives you the perfect detail to cut ropes, tough paracord, or even a car seatbelt, making the Mossy Oak Mini great for emergencies. Need to get out of a pickle, the base of the handle also has a glass-breaker tip, allowing you to strike your Mossy Oak against any glass surface, causing it to shatter – a feature that, when combined with the seatbelt cutter, makes the Mossy Oak quite the life-saver. When all’s said and done, you can celebrate your new lease on life with a drink by using the knife’s built-in bottle opener.

The knife comes with an ergonomic walnut handle that feels wonderfully grippy during use, but the ergonomic details also allow you to easily open the knife by using your nails or fingertips to pry the blade open. Once open, the blade gets locked in place using a liner-lock, so that it doesn’t ever accidentally shut on you during use.

The Mossy Oak Mini’s blade measures just 2.5 inches, putting it in the small-blade category but not by a lot. A medium-length blade is said to start around the 3-inch mark, so the Mossy Oak Mini’s blade still feels usable with zero compromise (in fact, the inclusion of the rope/cord cutter on the top makes it even more functional). The blade sits inside the knife’s 3.5-inch handle, which is the perfect balance between compact and ergonomic. The entire knife weighs just 3.1 ounces (87 grams), and despite its pleasantly low $12.99 price tag, also packs a pocket clip along with a lanyard hole located within the glass-breaker detail.

Click Here to Buy Now

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Game Boy-like Handheld Console Concept features a Massive Display and Rotating Controllers

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It’s like if a Game Boy Classic and an iPad had a baby…

In the 80s, the Game Boy changed how we saw gaming. It condensed an entire gaming setup down into something small enough to fit in your hands – remember that game consoles and TVs were massive back then. However, 40 years later, not much has changed. The Nintendo Switch is still a small game console, albeit with better graphics. Designed to bring a more immersive gaming experience to those 90s kids who loved the Game Boy era, the PlayFusion is a concept handheld that offers a larger iPad-esque format with a bigger display and some interesting controls. Embodying an aesthetic that is retro yet minimalist, the PlayFusion is slick, evocative of a golden gaming era, and instead of conventional buttons and joysticks, has rotating controller modules that you can flip to choose between analog buttons, touch surfaces, and joypads.

Designer: Alex Casabo

The PlayFusion, as its name suggests, is a combination of old and new, classic and revolutionary. Designed for 90s kids who pretty much saw some of the best games life could offer, from Super Mario and Pokemon to NFS and Maro Kart, the PlayFusion is a console meant to revisit that glorious past, in the format of a device that also lets you explore the future of games. It’s a gaming-console way of saying “look how far we’ve come.”

The large display is quite a welcome change, with a 4:3 aspect ratio reminiscent of handheld consoles from the past, but also a hat-tip to the iPad, which Apple has been positioning as a great gaming-ready device. The large display is housed within a slim body (although not as slim as the iPad Pro) that feels great to hold and use, but by far the most interesting part of the PlayFusion is its controls.

Nothing captures the essence of ‘fusion’ more than the shapeshifting controllers on the PlayFusion console. Casabo’s attempt with the PlayFusion was to provide an experience that is simultaneously futuristic yet classic. The controllers exist as two discs on the base of the PlayFusion, that rotate on a horizontal axis. On one side, you’ve got cutting-edge touch-sensitive backlit controls. On the other, however, you’ve got NES-inspired red action buttons and a D-pad that gives you the old-school gaming experience.

The modern controls are sleek and reminiscent of the on-screen controls you’d find on mobile or tablet games.

The retro controls, on the other hand, are as NES as they get, with the familiar shape and color associated with the famed gaming console.

The overall PlayFusion concept is a slick, rectangular number that has a distinct Atari-ish aesthetic when you see the back. The front is dominated by that screen of course, which evokes the sense of a larger-than-life Game Boy with how the controllers are located right below the screen. The name PlayFusion feels almost like a call-out to Sony’s PlayStation, but I assure you that’s purely coincidental at this point.

The best part of the PlayFusion lies probably in its wishful thinking. It’s designed as an all-in-one device that features the best of gaming companies like Nintendo, Sony, and Xbox, all combined in one singular device (you can even see the various logos on the back). There’s really no way such a device could exist with the blessings of Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft (given how trigger-happy their legal departments are), so the only hope is of a PlayFusion that runs an emulator, bringing nostalgia to gamers across the world… with a touch of whimsy and a massive immersive screen!

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Stop rinsing your razor under tap water. Two Navy Vets designed a better way that SAVES water.

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Think about it, what’s more effective, gargling or a water-flosser? One just casually has water swirling in your mouth, another targets food and plaque, actually cleaning your teeth. The Razor Rinser applies the same principle to your shaving razor. Unlike running your razor under a tap to clean the hair out, the Razor Rinser fires tiny jets of water between your razor blades, pushing the hair out and cleaning your razor without wasting water. It’s simple, runs without electricity, and uses an ingenious water-saving design that lets you effectively clean hair off your razor… with just 4 ounces of water.

Designers: Anderson Camp and Matt Semple

Click Here to Buy Now: $35 $45 (22% off). Hurry, only a few units left! Raised over $50,000.

Designed by two US Navy veterans, the Razor Rinser is just one of those designs that makes you go “Why didn’t anyone think of that before?” Most people who shave do one of two things – they either periodically rinse their razor under running tap water, getting their sink dirty while just superficially cleaning the razor, or they dip their razor in a cup of water, using less water in the process, but making a mess. Both methods have their flaws, the biggest being that they don’t do a good job of actually cleaning your razor efficiently.

Realizing that water wastage and dirty razors were a significant problem (after all, the average male shaves at least once every 2-3 days resulting in a lot of running tap water getting wasted), Navy vets Matt and Andy decided to develop the Razor Rinser, a device no larger than a soap tray, but with a big impact. The Razor Rinser keeps your sink mess-free, uses a fraction of the water you’d otherwise use, and does a much better job of cleaning your razor by actually forcing water through the blades to push the hair out.

The way the Razor Rinser works is exceptionally clever. Fill the Rinser’s container with water before you begin to shave. Once you need to clean your razor, simply press the razor head into the Rinser’s ‘island’. The island presses downwards, pumping water through it like a bellow. The water passes through a stainless steel spray manifold, turning into high-pressure jets that shoot through the razor’s blades. The dirty water flows outwards into the Razor Rinser’s moat, and 150-micron stainless steel filters trap the hair outside, allowing fresh water to get recycled back into the bellow island – ensuring your razor gets cleaned with clean water. The entire thing works without cords, batteries, or electricity – just good old physics.

All you effectively need is 4 ounces of water, as compared to the 1 gallon you’d otherwise waste running your razor under a tap every other minute. The water (with the hair and shaving cream) stays collected in the Rinser’s outer channel or moat, allowing you to simply dump it out (in the toilet) once you’re done. No dirty sinks, no dirty razors, and no wasted water. The rinser works with any brand or kind of cartridge razor, whether you’re using it to shave your jaw stubble, body, head, or legs.

Andy and Matt developed the Razor Rinser soon after being deployed to the Red Sea on a Guided Missile Destroyer in 2022. As a part of their uniform, Navy personnel are required to shave every day – multiply that by the 100’s of sailors on the destroyer, and the fact that there were just a handful of bathrooms. These bathrooms got very crowded and dirty very fast, and Andy and Matt also realized exactly how much water they were wasting. A year and a few prototypes later, the Razor Rinser was born. The rinser starts at a discounted $29 and ships internationally… but more importantly, Andy and Matt are also committed to donating Razor Rinsers to homeless veterans, allowing them the dignity of a clean shave without needing a bathroom sink.

Click Here to Buy Now: $35 $45 (22% off). Hurry, only a few units left! Raised over $50,000.

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Sony Teases Futuristic Phones and PlayStation Controllers for the Coming Years

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“Ten years from now, we will be living in a more multi-layered world where physical and virtual realities overlap without boundaries,” says the entertainment and hardware company. With the number of pies they’ve got their fingers in (you remember they even announced a car a few years ago?), it makes sense for Sony to operate not one but ten steps ahead to make sure they’re leaders in every single industry they’re in. That even means condensing a home theater to a size small enough to fit around your neck). Today, the company unveiled their Creative Entertainment Vision, a demonstration or visualization of what Sony wants the future to look like. It’s a practice that a lot of companies do, helping consumers, investors, and even competitors understand what direction technology and innovation are going to go in. Sony doubles down on mixed reality and spatial entertainment in this segment (they aren’t, after all, an enterprise or productivity company), showcasing a few unique concepts that feature holographic floating screens, absurdly futuristic gaming controllers, and super-slim spectacles that transform into AR eyewear.

Designer: Sony

Somewhere around the 1-minute and 12-second mark, Sony reveals a few very interesting concepts. One of them is what looks like a futuristic PlayStation controller with its own holographic screen. The controller itself looks familiar yet nothing like any controller we’ve seen. It features a hollow center with two grips on each end. The center is supposedly where the holograph projects out of, while thumb-pads on the left and right come with unusual controls to help maneuver the game. The controller is also space-aware and can be tilted as a means of input.

Another concept was a tablet that looks like, as Apple likes to call their iPad, a slab of magic glass. Except, this does feel like glass and the experience is tantamount to magic. There are no bezels, no cameras, not even any perceived electronics. The glass is transparent when the screen is off, and translucent when you’re watching stuff, so you can still see through it.

The third is an extension of Sony’s tablet vision, but in the form of a smartphone. According to Sony, the future of phones isn’t rectangular slabs of glass, it’s capsule-shaped oval slabs of glass. I don’t know what that says for the future of videos and TikTok, but this new form of screen real estate feels unique for sure. Sony displays a music interface on this mobile device, with album art practically existing from edge to edge. The games, videos, and music in all the concepts above are connected to Sony’s hit PlayStation game Horizon Zero Dawn.

These concepts are also coupled with a set of AR glasses that completely immerse you in a virtual world. As slim as a pair of sunglasses albeit with ski goggle-style eyepieces, this concept piece offers a kind of immersion even the Vision Pro can’t promise. You’re turned into a full-body AI avatar, immersed in a virtual world that exists separate from reality. Made more for entertainment, it lets you play games, interact with people, or even see movies in a way that you never have before. Sony even previews a scene where the city’s streets are filled with ghosts and a giant Pillsbury Dough Boy trods across buildings, lifted right out of the Ghostbusters movie.

While these concepts don’t specifically confirm what Sony plans to release in the near future, it’s important to understand their ‘vision’ of what’s to come. Ideas change based on consumer feedback and technological innovation, but in an ideal world, Sony believes the future will be about crafting new and wonderful realities, and living in stories instead of watching or playing them.

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Want Action Buttons on your Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra? This Aramid Fiber case gives you three extra buttons

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Most smartphone cases just act as a protective cover for your device, or an intermediary hub for attaching accessories. PITAKA’s new PinButton Case actually gives your smartphone new features. With three extra buttons on the left edge, the PinButton Case for the Galaxy S24 Ultra gives you three ‘Action Buttons’ that open apps or trigger features, allowing you to press buttons instead of scroll, minimize, swipe, and open apps from an app tray. Better still, the PinButton Case also comes with MagSafe compatibility, turning your Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra into a better version of itself with features that would make Apple fanboys rather jealous!

Designer: PITAKA

Click Here to Buy Now: $63 $69.99 (Use Coupon Code “YD10%OFF” to get 10% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

A protective Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra MagSafe case with PinButtons

The PinButton Case is the logical next step for Pitaka’s case-making efforts. While the company has perfected the art of building some spectacularly beautiful MagEZ cases for both iOS and Android devices (with a glue-free Amber Magnet Film on the inside and patented woven Aramid fibers on the outside), the PinButton Case comes as the evolutionary upgrade to those cases. The PinButton sports a TPU bumper that cushions your phone from accidental drops, but upgrades the back with a woven Aramid fiber plate that’s 5X stronger than steel and can withstand impact and scratches without letting your phone face the brunt of the damage. A luxurious Nappa leather interior cushions the S24 Ultra’s glass back, keeping it scratch or crack-free. In between the two sits an array of magnets that gives your S24 Ultra MagSafe compatibility, allowing you to use a slew of third-party accessories or even PITAKA’s own MagEZ accessories with your phone.

Customized PinButtons for quick access to preset apps.

The crown jewel, however, has to be the actual buttons on the PinButton Case. Most phones come with 3 buttons – 2 for volume control, and 1 for standby mode… but the PinButton Case gives your phone a total of 6 buttons. These three extra buttons sit on the left edge of the phone, relying on NFC technology to function. Working just like the Action Button does on the latest iPhones, these three buttons are programmed to trigger any app, tool, or routine you choose, giving you a whole host of possibilities. You can use the buttons to work smart home features, open the music app or your favorite playlist, activate Silent or Do Not Disturb, work as a camera shutter button, or even serve as a shortcut to your favorite app like Maps, TikTok, or WhatsApp.

These ‘PinButtons’ can be customized right in the S24 Ultra’s Settings app. Set up an NFC shortcut or routine, and then press any of the PinButtons to assign the shortcut to that button. Setting up all the buttons takes under a minute, but saves so much time by eliminating the need to minimize apps, scroll through app trays, or switch between two active apps. In fact, the PinButtons even work faster than the iPhone’s own Action Button, which needs to be long-pressed to work.

Most people slap a case on their phone just as a protective measure… but the concept of adding a case that brings extra features to your phone just feels low-key incredible. More so, PITAKA’s had a long history building cutting-edge cases, so the PinButton Case is no different, providing stellar physical protection to your smartphone from drops, bumps, scratches, or any impact-based damage. Subtle lips on your screen as well as camera lenses give them a layer of added protection, and that gorgeous woven Aramid fiber back looks positively luxurious, while bringing space-grade durability to your device. An inclusion of a super-slim magnet array within the case means your Galaxy S24 Ultra can be used in tandem with all of Pitaka’s MagEZ accessories (as well as other MagSafe-compatible products), whether it’s a power bank, a wallet, or a car mount. If you do attach your phone to a car mount frequently, we recommend assigning one of the PinButtons to either Maps or Waze for quick access, with the other linked to Spotify for your favorite car playlist. The third one’s up to you, although if you really want to piss off Apple-lovers, turn it into a camera shutter so when the iPhone 16 with the Capture Button drops, you can say – Android (or PITAKA) did it first!

Click Here to Buy Now: $63 $69.99 (Use Coupon Code “YD10%OFF” to get 10% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

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Why Are Most AI Voices Female? Exploring the Reasons Behind Female AI Voice Dominance

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Siri, Alexa, Cortana, Google Voice ChatGPT 4o, it’s no coincidence that they all have female voices (and sometimes even names). In fact, Spike Jonze even literally called his dystopian AI-based film “Her” after the AI assistant Samantha from the movie. Played by Scarlett Johansson, the movie had a premise that sounded absurd 11 years ago but now feels all too realistic after OpenAI announced their voice-based AI model GPT 4o (omni). The announcement was also followed by an uproar from Johansson, who claimed the AI sounded a lot like her even though she hadn’t given OpenAI the permission to use her voice. Johansson mentioned that she was approached by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to be the voice of GPT 4o, but declined. Just days before GPT 4o was announced, Altman asked her once again to reconsider, but she still declined. GPT 4o was announced exactly 10 days ago on the 13th of May, and Johansson distinctly recognized the voice as one that sounded quite similar to her own. While there are many who say that the voices don’t sound similar, it’s undeniable that OpenAI was aiming for something that sounded like Samantha from Her rather than going for a more feminine yet mechanical voice like Siri or Google Voice. All this brings a few questions to mind – Why do most AI voice assistants have female voices? How do humans perceive these voices? Why don’t you see that many male AI voice assistants (and does mansplaining have a role to play here)? And finally, do female voice assistants actually help or harm real women and gender equality in the long run? (Hint: a little bit of both, but the latter seems more daunting)

AI Voice Assistants: A History

The history of AI voice assistants extends well before 2011 when Siri was first introduced to the world… however, a lot of these instances were fiction and pop-culture. Siri debuted as the first-ever voice assistant relying on AI, but you can’t really credit Siri with being the first automated female voice because for years, IVR dominated phone conversations. Do you remember the automated voices when you called a company’s service center like your bank, cable company or internet provider? Historically, a lot of times the voices were female, paving the way for Siri in 2011. In fact, this trend dates back to 1878, with Emma Nutt being the first woman telephone operator, ushering in an entirely female-dominated profession. Women operators then naturally set the stage for female-voiced IVR (Interactive Voice Response) calls. However, while IVR calls were predominantly just a set of pre-recorded responses, Siri didn’t blurt out template-ish pre-recorded sentences. She was trained on the voice of a real woman, and conversed with you (at least that time) like an actual human. The choice of a female voice for Siri was influenced by user studies and cultural factors, aiming to make the AI seem friendly and approachable. This decision was not an isolated case; it marked the beginning of a broader trend in the tech industry. In pop culture, however, the inverse was said to be true. Long before Siri in 2011, JARVIS took the stage in the 2008 movie Iron Man as a male voice assistant. Although somewhat robotic, JARVIS could do pretty much anything, like control every micro detail of Tony Stark’s house, suit, and life… and potentially even go rogue. However, that aside, studies show something very interesting about how humans perceive female voices.

JARVIS helping control Iron Man’s supersuit

Historically, Robots are Male, and Voice Assistants are Female

The predominance of female voices in AI systems is not a random occurrence. Several factors contribute to this trend:

  • User Preference: Research indicates that many users find female voices more soothing and pleasant. This preference often drives the design choices of AI developers who seek to create a comfortable user experience.
  • The Emotional Connection: Female voices are traditionally associated with helpful and nurturing roles. This aligns well with the purpose of many AI systems, which are designed to assist and support users in various tasks.
  • Market Research: Companies often rely on market research to determine the most effective ways to engage users. Female voices have consistently tested well in these studies, leading to their widespread adoption.
  • Cultural Influences: There are cultural and social influences that shape how voices are perceived. For instance, in many cultures, female voices are stereotypically associated with service roles (e.g., receptionists, customer service), which can influence design decisions.

These are but theories and studies, and the flip side is equally interesting. Physical robots are often built with male physiques and proportions given that their main job of lifting objects and moving cargo around is traditionally done by men too. Pop culture plays a massive role again, with Transformers being predominantly male, as well as Terminator, T-1000, Ultron, C3PO, Robocop, the list is endless.

What Do Studies Say on Female vs. Male AI Voices?

Numerous studies have analyzed the impact of gender in AI voices, revealing a variety of insights that help us understand user preferences and perceptions. Here’s what these studies reveal:

  • Likability: Research indicates that users generally find female voices more likable. This can enhance the effectiveness of AI in customer service and support roles, where user comfort and trust are paramount.
  • Comfort and Engagement: Female voices are often perceived as more comforting and engaging, which can improve user satisfaction and interaction quality. This is particularly important in applications like mental health support, where a soothing tone can make a significant difference.
  • Perceived Authority: Male voices are sometimes perceived as more authoritative, which can be advantageous in contexts where a strong, commanding presence is needed, such as navigation systems or emergency alerts. However, this perception can vary widely based on individual and cultural differences.
  • Task Appropriateness: The suitability of a voice can depend on the specific task or context. For example, users might prefer female voices for personal assistants who manage everyday tasks, while male voices might be preferred for financial or legal advice due to perceived authority.
  • Cognitive Load: Some research suggests that the perceived ease of understanding and clarity of female voices can reduce cognitive load, making interactions with AI less mentally taxing and more intuitive for users.
  • Mansplaining, A Problem: The concept of “mansplaining” — when a man explains something to someone, typically a woman, in a condescending or patronizing manner — can indirectly influence the preference for female AI voices. Male voices might be perceived as more authoritative, which can sometimes come across as condescending. A male AI voice disagreeing with you or telling you something you already know can feel much more unpleasant than a female voice doing the same thing.

The 2013 movie Her had such a major impact on society and culture that Hong Kong-based Ricky Ma even built a humanoid version of Scarlett Johansson

Do Female AI Voices Help Women Be Taken More Seriously in the Future?

20 years back, it was virtually impossible to determine how addictive and detrimental social media was going to be to our health. We’re at the point in the road where we should be thinking of the implications of AI. Sure, the obvious discussion is about how AI could replace us, flood the airwaves with potential misinformation, and make humans dumb and ineffective… but before that, let’s just focus on the social impact of these voices, and what they do for us and the generations to come. There are a few positive impacts to this trend:

  • Normalization of Female Authority: Regular exposure to female voices in authoritative and knowledgeable roles can help normalize the idea of women in leadership positions. This can contribute to greater acceptance of women in such roles across various sectors.
  • Shifting Perceptions: Hearing female voices associated with expertise and assistance can subtly shift societal perceptions, challenging stereotypes and reducing gender biases.
  • Role Models: AI systems with confident and competent female voices can serve as virtual role models, demonstrating that these traits are not exclusive to men and can be embodied by women as well.

However, the impact of this trend depends on the quality and neutrality of the AI’s responses, which is doubtful at best. If female-voiced AI systems consistently deliver accurate and helpful information, they can enhance the credibility of women in technology and authoritative roles… but what about the opposite?

Female AI Voices Running on Male-biased Databases

The obvious problem, however, is that these AI assistants are still, more often than not, coded by men who may bring their own subtle (or obvious) biases into how these AI bots operate. Moreover, a vast corpus of databases fed into these AI LLMs (Large Language Models) is created by men. Historically, culture, literature, politics, and science, have all been dominated by men for centuries, with women only very recently playing a larger and more visible role in contributing to these fields. All this has a distinct and noticeable effect on how the AI thinks and operates. Having a female voice doesn’t change that – it actually has a more unintended negative effect.

There’s really no problem when the AI is working with hard facts… but it becomes an issue when the AI needs to share opinions. Biases can undermine an AI’s credibility, can cause problems by not accurately representing the women it’s supposed to, can promote wrong stereotypes, and even reinforce biases. We’re already noticing the massive spike in the usage of words like ‘delve’ and ‘testament’ because of how often AI LLMs use them – think about all the stuff we CAN’T see, and how it may affect life and society a decade from now.

In 2014, Alex Garland’s Ex Machina showed how a lifelike female robot passed the Turing Test and won the heart of a young engineer

The Future of AI Voice Assistants

I’m no coder/engineer, but here’s where AI voice assistants should be headed and what steps should be taken:

  • Diverse Training Data: Ensuring that training data is diverse and inclusive can help mitigate biases. This involves sourcing data from a wide range of contexts and ensuring a balanced representation of different genders and perspectives.
  • Bias Detection and Mitigation: Implementing robust mechanisms for detecting and mitigating bias in AI systems is crucial. This includes using algorithms designed to identify and correct biases in training data and outputs.
  • Inclusive Design: Involving diverse teams in the design and development of AI systems can help ensure that different perspectives are considered, leading to more balanced and fair AI systems.
  • Continuous Monitoring: AI systems should be continuously monitored and updated to address any emerging biases. This requires ongoing evaluation and refinement of both the training data and the AI algorithms.
  • User Feedback: Incorporating user feedback can help identify biases and areas for improvement. Users can provide valuable insights into how the AI is perceived and where it might be falling short in terms of fairness and inclusivity.

AI assistants aren’t going anywhere. There was a time not too long ago when it seemed that AI assistants were dead. In the end of 2022, Amazon announced that Alexa had racked up $10 billion in debt and seemed like a failed endeavor – that same month, ChatGPT made its debut. Cut to today and AI assistants have suddenly become mainstream again. Mainstream in a way that almost every company and startup is looking for ways to integrate AI into their products and services. Siri and GPT 4o are just the beginning of this new female voice-led frontier… it’s important we understand the pitfalls and avoid them before it’s too late. After all, if you remember in the movie Terminator Salvation, Skynet was a female too…

The post Why Are Most AI Voices Female? Exploring the Reasons Behind Female AI Voice Dominance first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sony’s new BRAVIA speakers are like wearing a home theater around your neck

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No it isn’t a neck pillow, and it isn’t even one of those wearable air conditioners, the BRAVIA Theater U is – wait for it… a neckphone. Sort of like a headphone but not placed on your head, the Theater U is Sony’s alternative to booming soundbars and complicated home theater setups. If speakers are for human ears to listen to, why not just directly place them near your ears to begin with? The Theater U immerses you in 360° spatial sound without immersing your entire house. Wear it around your neck, pair it with a device using either a cable or Bluetooth, and the Theater U brings great audio to your ears without blocking the entire world out. Moreover, you can pair multiple neck-speakers to the same playback device like your TV, so that more than one person can listen to a movie or TV show at any given point in time.

Designer: Sony

This isn’t the first attempt at a neckband speaker, but Sony is incorporating its latest tech to create a compelling option. The key feature is Sony’s X-Balanced speaker unit, housed in a lightweight and flexible design. This unit promises clear acoustics and powerful sound pressure for a rich and satisfying listening experience.

But the real magic lies in the 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer. This tech, combined with compatible BRAVIA TVs, creates a customized Dolby Atmos experience. Essentially, the speaker tailors the sound to your unique head shape for a truly immersive effect. It’s like having a personal mini home theater draped around your neck. Given its proximity to your ears, you don’t need to crank up the volume to hear sounds the way you would an actual speaker system – this means fairly personal listening that won’t disturb anyone else beyond a certain radius.

The BRAVIA Theater U’s versatility extends well beyond movie nights. With an IPX4 splash-proof rating, you can wear it worry-free during light workouts or even take it poolside (just be mindful of splashes). Built-in voice pickup technology ensures clear communication during calls, making it a handy companion for work-from-home video conferences.

The speaker boasts Bluetooth connectivity for seamless pairing with various devices, not just your BRAVIA TV. Think laptops, tablets, and smartphones – you can use it for gaming, listening to music, or watching videos on the go. And for those who want to share the immersive experience, the Speaker Add function lets you connect another BRAVIA Theater U for a synchronized audio experience with a friend.

Battery life is a respectable 12 hours on a single charge, with a quick-charge function that delivers an hour of playback with just a 10-minute plug-in. This makes it ideal for extended movie marathons or long commutes.

The Sony BRAVIA Theater U Wireless Neckband Speaker is available for pre-order now for $299.99, fairly decent considering it’s replacing soundbars which are priced in the same range, but giving you the benefit of portability. While it might not be for everyone, it offers a unique and innovative way to experience immersive audio without disturbing those around you.

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