Earphones with built-in sonar will allow you to create a digital avatar of its owner

There is already technology in the world that makes it possible to create avatars of human faces. This is in demand in various applications and social networks where you can communicate through video calls. As a rule, they are all camera-based. But researchers at Cornell University decided to develop their own system for creating avatars using only sound. The rationale for abandoning cameras is that they are too energy-consuming and can capture too much personal information. The EarIO system from Cornell is built using sonar.

The EarIO is a headphone that incorporates a portable sonar into its design. When they are turned on, the sound of music being played is reflected off the bones of the wearer's skull, changing in response to changes in their facial expressions. These changes are detected by a sensitive microphone. AI algorithms then generate an avatar that accurately represents the user's facial expression. EarIO allows the image to be transmitted to a mobile device so that the avatars can be used for video calls.

Tests have proven the sonar avatar system can be used in the most challenging environments. Background noise, wind, and user movement have little effect on its accuracy. But one disadvantage it does have is oversensitivity. Changes in facial expressions occur even with random head movements, which made the developers think about making improvements in subsequent versions. The prototype showed the ability to work autonomously for three hours, but the researchers are confident that it can be increased