USPTO Grants Microsoft Patent
Marissa Brassfield — October 21, 2008 — Pop Culture
References: patft.uspto.gov & arstechnica
In 2004, Microsoft filed for a patent on an automatic censoring filter that would bleep out profanity in real-time audio streams. The patent has just been approved, immediately reinventing the concept of live television, radio and gaming.
Previously, even streams considered "live" had a seven-second tape delay. That gave editors a chance to omit the gory bits of a high-speed car chase or bleep out a barrage of curse words at an awards show.
With the development of this technology, Xbox and PC gamers that are used to communicating live to their teammates and their competition can do so freely, no matter their age--any profanity in the exchange would be automatically recognized and bleeped appropriately.
Any type of censorship opens the door to an authoritarian regime, however, as Ars Technica points out. If this technology is rolled out to television, radio and video games, will cell phone censorship be next?
Previously, even streams considered "live" had a seven-second tape delay. That gave editors a chance to omit the gory bits of a high-speed car chase or bleep out a barrage of curse words at an awards show.
With the development of this technology, Xbox and PC gamers that are used to communicating live to their teammates and their competition can do so freely, no matter their age--any profanity in the exchange would be automatically recognized and bleeped appropriately.
Any type of censorship opens the door to an authoritarian regime, however, as Ars Technica points out. If this technology is rolled out to television, radio and video games, will cell phone censorship be next?
Trend Themes
1. Real-time Audio Censoring - Opportunities for a new era of live broadcasting and gaming that is safe for a broader audience.
2. Automated Profanity Detection - The potential for profanity detection technology to evolve and be applied in various other areas such as customer service and data analysis.
3. AI-based Self-monitoring - The rise of AI-based self-monitoring for censorship and other purposes to enhance data security and privacy.
Industry Implications
1. Broadcasting and Entertainment - There is a massive opportunity for the broadcasting industry to revolutionize its live broadcasting system to meet evolving expectations and enhance customer experience.
2. Gaming - The gaming industry can leverage real-time censorship for online gaming to develop better gaming experience for players and a safer environment for gamers of varying age.
3. Artificial Intelligence - The AI industry can further develop automated profanity detection to enhance customer services and data analysis for companies.
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