Over the years, Alphabet has attempted to tackle some wild projects, such as a cart with a crop sniff and fish tracking cameras. But now his X lab is working on a device that can give people superhuman hearing. As Insider first reported, the project, codenamed “Wolverine”, is investigating the future of hearing through sensors with hardware. The team members spoke to Insider say anonymously that they are currently trying to figure out how to isolate people’s voices in a crowded room or to make it easier to focus on one person when overlapping conversations take place around you.
They have iterated on the device several times already, including devices that covered the entire ear and others that protruded above the ear. These iterations were great because the team incorporated many microphones into the building, but newer versions are smaller, Insider say. Several people from hearing technology companies joined the team, including talent from Starkey Hearing Technologies and Eargo.
Insider says the goals of the Wolverine team best match those of Whisper, a company that came out of the secret last year. The team managed to isolate sounds by means of a ‘sound separation engine’, which adapts to the wearers’ environments. This suggests that the purpose of the laboratory is not just to create a device that everyone wants, but rather an improved hearing aid.
The Alphabet team is not just focused on one device or one utility box, Insider say. The team wants to build a successful business with multiple devices and models, so if they are successful, you can start wearing Google-owned hearing aids.