Alphabet has tried to carry out some wild projects over the years, such as a plantation sniffing plant cart and fish tracking cameras. But now, his X lab is working on a device that can give people superhuman hearing. How Insider first reported, the project, codenamed “Wolverine”, is exploring the future of hearing through sensor hardware. The team, whose members spoke Insider anonymously, let’s say they’re trying to figure out how to isolate people’s voices in a crowded room or make it easier to focus on one person when overlapping conversations are going on around them.
They have iterated on the device several times, including devices that covered the entire ear and others that protruded above the ear. These iterations have been great because the team incorporates many microphones into the construction, but the newer versions are smaller, Insider it says. Several people from hearing technology companies joined the team, including talents from Starkey Hearing Technologies and Eargo.
Insider says that the goals of the Wolverine team align more closely with those of Whisper, a company that went out of secrecy last year. This team was able to isolate the sounds by means of a “sound separation engine”, which adapts to the users’ environment. This suggests that the lab’s goal is not just to create a device that everyone wants, but an improved hearing aid.
The Alphabet team is not focused on just one device or use case, Insider it says. The team is looking to build a successful business with multiple devices and models, so if they are successful, you can start using Google-owned hearing aids.