New app aims to make it safe to cross the street while staring at your smartphone

[Guest Jacob Siegal]

Plenty of the apps on our smartphones provide us with entertainment and information, but how many protect us from the dangers of the world around us? As far I know, there aren't many, but the upcoming Android app Audio Aware from the developers at One Llama could do just that. According to MIT Technology Review, Audio Aware will be capable of comprehending noises in the environment that could signal danger, alerting "hard-of-hearing smartphone users and distracted walkers" to an oncoming emergency vehicle or the sound of tires screeching on the pavement. If you happen to be wearing headphones when the background app picks up a distressing noise, it could pause your music and emit a word of warning. One Llama is also looking to include the app in wearable devices in the future as well. The technology is far from perfect, but if an app is able to detect danger before the human ear, it could speed up our increasingly sluggish reaction times.

 

 

Via BRG - Boy Genius Report