Tag: Recordings

Skype Audio Graded by Workers in China With ‘No Security Measures’

A Microsoft program to transcribe and vet audio from Skype and Cortana, its voice assistant, ran for years with “no security measures,” according to a former contractor who says he reviewed thousands of potentially sensitive recordings on his personal laptop from his home in Beijing over the two years he worked for the company. From a report: The recordings, both deliberate…

China Shows Its Dominance in Surveillance Technology

Chinese companies have made every submission to UN on standards in past three years, Financial Times reports [the link may be paywalled]. From the report: Chinese companies have made every submission to the UN for international standards on surveillance technology in the past three years, according to documents reviewed by the Financial Times that show their rising dominance in the field….

Recordings reveal that plants make ultrasonic squeals when stressed

For the first time plants have been recorded making sounds when stressed. The sounds differed when they were injured or thirsty, a finding that could help farmers Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2226093-recordings-reveal-that-plants-make-ultrasonic-squeals-when-stressed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…

Can We Save Coral Reefs Using Underwater Loudspeakers?

“The desperate search for ways to help the world’s coral reefs rebound from the devastating effects of climate change has given rise to some radical solutions,” reports the Washington Post. There’s coral “nurseries” in the Caribbean, while Hawaiian scientists are trying to breed a new and more resilient type of coral. But at least one team focused on the herbivorous fish…

Study Reveals Music’s Universal Patterns Across Societies Worldwide

From love songs to dance tunes to lullabies, music made in disparate cultures worldwide displays certain universal patterns, according to a study by researchers who suggest a commonality in the way human minds create music. From a report: The study focused on musical recordings and ethnographic records from 60 societies around the world including such diverse cultures as the Highland Scots…

Uber Embraces Videotaping Rides, Raising Privacy Concerns

For several months, some Uber passengers in Texas have been recorded on video as they have been driven to their destinations. The video has been stored online and could have been reviewed by members of Uber’s safety staff if the driver had reported a problem with the passenger. From a report: The video recordings are part of a broad initiative at…

Uber To Allow Audio Recording of Rides, Aiming To Launch Feature In US

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Associated Press: Uber will allow passengers and drivers in Brazil and Mexico to record audio of their rides as it attempts to improve its safety record and image, and eventually it hopes to launch the feature into other markets including the United States. The ride-hailing company plans to pilot the feature in cities…

Florida Police Are Using Amazon Echo Recordings For a Murder Investigation

“Police in Hallandale Beach believe there may have been a witness to the July murder of Silvia Galva, and ‘her’ name was Alexa,” reports the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Slashdot reader PolygamousRanchKid tipped us off to the story: According to a search warrant, investigators want to know what the popular voice-controlled smart speakers overheard during a fatal altercation between Galva, 32, and…

Google’s New Voice Recorder App Transcribes in Real Time, Even When Offline

At Google’s hardware event this morning, the company introduced a new voice recorder app for Android devices, which will tap into advances in real-time speech processing, speech recognition and AI to automatically transcribe recordings in real time as the person is speaking. From a report: The improvements will allow users to take better advantage of the phone’s voice recording functionality, as…