Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a jammer for use in voice assistants

Perfectjammer

2023/06/19

Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a jammer for voice assistants to prevent undetectable eavesdropping. However, there is still room for improvement in designing the transmitter into a bracelet.

Chicago. In many homes, there are voice assistants like Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant that respond to all the wishes of the user. Mr. Zhao also wanted to buy a smart home device, but his wife, Heiser Zheng, refused because she was afraid the wiretap would not detect it. In an interview with The New York Times, the two computer science professors explained how they took inspiration from this everyday situation to create their latest invention: the Sturgeon bracelet.

The jammer sends ultrasonic signals in all directions

Together with other researchers at the University of Chicago, they developed the signal jammers. "In the age of voice-based smart devices, it is important to develop tools that protect users from possible harm or misuse of microphones," the scientists explain in their study.

The jamming armband consists of 24 small speakers that emit ultrasonic signals. The advantage of the ring structure is that the signal can radiate in all directions. These sounds are inaudible to the human ear, but they can interfere with any form of microphone recording. Whether it's smart home devices, laptops or other hidden microphones. The only thing left is noise in the 24-26 kHz frequency range.

So far, the sturgeon bracelet has been the prototype. It is not clear when the wristband will be available. In an interview with The New York Times, the developer announced that the cell phone jammer would cost about $20 to produce - the equivalent of around 18 euros. Some investors are already showing interest.

Bracelets interfere with hearing AIDS

However, wristband technology is not yet fully developed: in tests, subjects reported that jamming transmitters affected hearing AIDS such as smartphones, hearing AIDS, and cochlear implants. "Work is needed to understand the effects of ultrasonic signals on these devices and to design solutions," the study said. And there's still room for improvement in optics.

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