Want to wear a pendant that records absolutely everything you say and hear during the day, to transcribe it using an AI? This is what Rewind offers with the Pendant, an accessory worthy of Black Mirror!
Imagine: part of society has access to technology that makes it possible to record everything an individual can see and hear thanks to an implant placed behind their ear. An accessory that allows him to “relive” his memories as many times as he wants. This is the synopsis of an episode of Black Mirror, the famous anticipation series. And if the chip proves very useful for reliving pleasant moments or for analyzing certain scenes, in search of precise details, the story ends badly – as always in the series, which denounces the potential excesses of the technological world.
But reality is joining fiction thanks to Rewind AI. This American company has just developed the Pendant, a connected pendant to wear around the neck which records everything you say and hear throughout the day, like a tape recorder running constantly. The difference is that this little high-tech gem is associated with an AI – an artificial intelligence – which analyzes, decrypts and transcribes everything into text before sending it to your phone so you can come back to it later. subsequently, through an application. A sort of permanent memory that forgets nothing of what you experience…
This is not the first product of its kind for Rewind AI. Until now, the company offered a mobile application which was responsible for collecting all the data entered daily on a Mac or an iPhone, like a “second memory” allowing you to find any forgotten information. In practice, it permanently records everything that is displayed on the screen to transcribe it using an optical character recognition (OCR) system. And it also records everything that comes through the device’s microphone and speakers – and therefore everything you say and hear.
The start-up wanted to go further with the Rewind Pendant, by no longer limiting itself to a computer or a smartphone. The connected pendant is designed to record all the sentences you say and hear, acting as a second brain for memorizing information. The recordings are then summarized in writing and can be found using the application’s search system.
According to the creators, the accessory should thus offer “some peace of mind” – provided you are not disturbed by being recorded 24 hours a day –, allowing you to concentrate on “present time” while not forgetting any details. It also helps you remember all the great ideas that cross your mind, since you just have to say them out loud and they’ll be recorded. The app also automatically generates a to-do list every time you verbally commit to doing something for someone else. It can also be used to replay fleeting moments, such as a baby’s first words or a marriage proposal, or help individuals with memory problems, such as people with ADHD. In his presentation video, the founder of the company announces that you will be able to ask questions to the integrated AI in order to obtain certain information more easily, such as knowing in which context you are generally most often angry, highlighting your language tics.
The fact remains that this gadget represents a huge intrusion into private life and collects a titanic amount of very valuable personal information. Rewind claims to emphasize data privacy and store everything locally on your smartphone, without saving in the cloud. Additionally, to ensure that “no one is recorded without their consent”, the company has announced the presence of functions to prevent this, without further details at the moment. You can already order your Rewind Pendant for the modest sum of $59, even if no release date has yet been announced. Hoping it doesn’t end like in Black Mirror…