I wanted to create a voice assistant that is completely offline and doesn't require any internet connection. This is because I wanted to ensure that the user's privacy is protected and that the user's data is not being sent to any third party servers.
Props, and thank you for this.
I would love for Apple/Google to introduce some tech that would make it provable/verifiable that the camera/mic on the device can only be captured when the indicator is on and that it isn't possible for apps or even higher layers of OS to spoof this
That’s allegedly the case in iOS (not the provable part, but I wonder if anyone managed to disprove it yet?)
I'm thinking perhaps a standardized open design circuit that can you can view by opening up back cover and zooming in with a microscope.
feel like privacy tech like this that seemed wildly overkill for everyday users becomes necessary as the value of collecting data and profiling humans goes through the roof
The value of the data you willingly transmit (both to data brokers, as well as in terms of the harm that it could do to you) via the use of apps (that are upfront about their transmission of your private data) and websites is far, far greater than the audio stream from inside your house.
If you don’t want your private information transmitted, worry about the things that are verifiably and obviously transmitting your private information instead of pointlessly fretting over things that are verifiably behaving as they claim.
Do you have the Instagram or Facebook apps on your phone? Are you logged in to Google?
These are much bigger threats to your privacy than a mic.
The sum total of all of your Telegram, Discord, and iMessage DMs (all of which are effectively provided to the service provider without end to end encryption) is way more interesting than 86400 images of you sitting in front of your computer with your face scrunched up, or WAVs of you yelling at your kids. One you knowingly provide to the service provider. The other never leaves your house.
It's annoying difficult to try and find an article about it, but IIRC there was a hack for the MacBook Pro's green camera LED where toggling the camera on and off super quickly would wouldn't give the LED time to light up
I didn't know that, but I'm glad I have my MacBook in clamshell mode with an external camera with a physical cover.
I mean, I appreciated the little green light, but the fact that it seemed necessary indicates to me that humanity still needs some evolving.
Red nail polish would like a word
I missed the reference. Red nail polish?
Used to paint over the indicator LED
Thinkpads come with that, an unspoofable indicator that will tell you with 100% certainty that your image is not being recorded or even recordable unless the physical operator of the machine allows it. Can't beat a physical cover if you really want to be sure!
Now make a cover for the microphone :)
You could probably add that if you were sufficiently motivated. Either by adding an LED on the power or data path, or by adding a physical switch. I think it should be fairly easy on laptops; I'm not sure where you'd jam the hardware in a phone or if you can access the cables for the camera/mic without messing with traces.
I'm a little curious if iPhones could be modified to route the {mic,camera} {power,data} through the silent mode switch, either instead of or in addition to the current functionality. I don't really have a need for a physical silent mode toggle, I'm totally fine with doing that in the settings or control panel.
Extra kudos for the name - and extra extra for using the good old "Picard facepalm" meme.
But seriously - the name got my attention, then I read the introduction and thought "hey, Alexa without uploading everything you say to Amazon? This might actually be something for me!".
"Hey HAL, open the pod bay doors please"
+1. That's the #1 feature I want in any "assistant".
A question: does it run only on the Pi5 or other (also non Raspberry Pi) boards?
Ditto!