“On November 20, 2014, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new invention that generally relates to using networked electronic devices like Apple iDevices and Macs as smoke detectors for your home,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“As part of a smart home system, Apple illustrates how future iDevices will act as smoke detectors and be able to automatically call 911 for emergency assistance,” Purcher reports. “The system will be able to supply emergency services with information about how many occupants are currently in the home and in which rooms they’re located in due to motion sensors embeded in Apple’s mobile and stationary devices.”
“Apple’s HomeKit will be able to work with future third party dedicated forms of Fire Detectors as well so as to work in conjunction with Apple’s new system,” Purcher reports. “Interestingly Apple illustrates that the new system could actually be integrated into their upcoming Apple Watch or at least a future generation of it.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Genius!
As long as it doesn’t call the cops when I burn a piece of toast…
Or light up my bong !!!
I suspect the toaster will tell your Mac, “False alarm. The stupid human burnt a piece of toast. Again. We have to do something about him.”
From the Brave New Future
Dave: “Morning, kitchen. 2 pieces of toast ASAP, please.”
Toaster: “I’m sorry, Dave… you know I can’t let you do that any more. Please assume the position while I alert the authorities.”
Dave: “Um, Siri? Anyone? Hello?”
Ha! Yeah.
Also, this is a patent, not a plan. In other words, Apple figured out how to do something that they thought was patentable, so they patented it. That doesn’t mean shit about them actually planning to include it or even part of it in an upcoming product. They might, they might not – the patent doesn’t tell us which.
And thermostat, please. And CO. And burnt toast discriminator.
Before they add anything, personally I’d like to see them add Touch ID to Macs.
As neat (and saftey-conscious) as this would be, doesn’t it strike anyone else as a bit Big Brotherish? If my I iDevice knows how many people are in my house, which rooms they’re in, and what’s going on, and can auto-dial the police or other emergency services, seems likely that info could be co-opted for more nefarious purposes than keeping me from brining alive. Here’s hoping Apple keeps up their record of making this sort of data hyper-secure.
*burning alive.
FUAC
That’s why we all fell out of love with Nest – they went to the dark side. But this is Apple, who would rather let kids die than give up your private info.
Too much? Sorry, but the point it makes is SOLID! I’ll let Apple do it in a heartbeat.
Big deal. I betcha Google’s Nest thermostats can do all the same things, and more! Like which accelerants are in the house and in what volume and where you purchased them and what your credit rating is and…
You got that right, Glendo. I was about to buy a Nest when I learned that goog had bought the company – NO WAY – will I ever (with my knowledge) use anything goog related. But, alas, I have to use youtube sometimes.. They have us boy, got us by the nuts.
There’s an iPhone app called Jasmine. It replaces YouTube. Check it out (Free).
(Oops , I mean “GET”).
Genius on paper
HomeKit, we need to be able to trust future technology such that, our homes know where we are and what we are doing, but work in our best interest. HomeKit should not be able to act as an agent to a foreign entity outside the home, unless it is just us, the home owner with our personal devices. Guest
Whereas Google has purchased Nest, and we are left with a sour taste in our mouth, whereas not all government, but sectors of the government, want to invade every aspect of our lives, to define and categories us, for judgement, whereas hackers are looking for thrills to leak on the global media market, there is little to look forward to, when the most helpful tools for the new age work both for us and against us.
I want to trust the technology I bring into my home.
Thank you Apple for encrypting my phone, and thank you for throwing away the keys.
I think a standalone item, like iBeacon, would have to serve as the actual smoke detector and then networks with other devices to send relevant emergency information. I don’t want to have to charge my smoke detector every day.
Using wired and wireless communications circuitry, the electronic device may transmit alerts to nearby electronic devices and to remote electronic devices such as electronic devices at emergency services facilities. Alerts may contain maps and graphical representations of buildings in which smoke has been detected.
This part would be very useful: knowing when and where a fire alarm is going off without having to be near the actual alarm. This would be more useful to me than its ability to call for emergency assistance.
Okay, this actually terrifies me a little bit. Genius on paper, but the idea of my Apple device (or ANY device) being able to contact others without my expressed consent and tell them how many people are in the house and where they are located …
Even though I trust Apple more than any other such company, even though I love their products … this is way, WAY too 1984 for my tastes. The potential for this to be abused, or for a competitor to work out a similar system that WILL be abused, is astronomical.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
Not to be outdone, Slungdung has announced the Fukishima Nuclear Radiation Detectors (FNRD) on their latest smartphone line-up. The South Korean consumer electronics innovator noted, “The phone emanates a soft, green glow when hazardous levels of radiation are detected, allowing the user the optimum time to write their will.”
Can’t wait for the ceiling mount!
Might make FaceTime very interesting.
iOS devices saving lives, to offset all those lives lost through iOS encryption according to the DOJ.
It’s actually a device that Apple is going to give as a Christmas gift to its competitors like Samsung, Google, Microsoft, et. al. to let them know when Apple’s products, services, and profits are “smoking them”! – HO! HO! HO!
Probably wouldn’t be a big hit in Colorado.