Artificial intelligence can be a force for good. Hear me out we saw the proof at Google I/O2023.
While many of us spend time worrying about what kind of AI chatbots we have, chats that might take away our jobs or start World War II, AI-based solutions are solving real-world problems and sometimes even Helping people bounce back from tragedy (and more).
The post-Google I/O 2023 keynote blasts us off with an impressive line-up of AI-powered products and software updates as well as a slew of new hardware, including the exciting Google Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel 7a, Google AI Head of publicity, author and one-time AI artist Lawrence Moroney was at the developer keynote and presented a story that probably sparked more than a few "I'm not crying," Who are you Crying" reaction from the audience.
from ashes
Two years ago, quadriplegic gaming streamer Lance Carr lost everything in a fire that actually started during his live stream. Carr, who suffers from muscular dystrophy, not only lost his Colorado home, but also all the assistive devices he used to play video games live with his seizures. To make matters worse, the custom-made equipment became obsolete and much of it was irreplaceable.
For Carr, who has no control over any part of his body below his shoulders, controlling his computer to play and stream games is impossible.
However, Google's project GameFace changed all that. Instead of trying to buy and retrofit secondary gaming devices, Google and Carl tackled a new idea: using his face to control his computer and games.
According to Moroney, Project GameFace uses off-the-shelf webcams and Google's MediaPipe, a system that ties together multiple AI ML models (he didn't specify which ones) to build a 468-point real-time mesh on any face. . These points are converted into telemetry of mouse clicks and movements. MediaPipe has also been used previously to create avatars.
It's all tied into an interface that lets you map expressions and head movements to computer input, meaning Project GameFace can be customized for how you want to control the action, rather than being one-size-fits-all. And the system was so precise that Carl could use it to write his name in cursive.
As Carl points out, he now controls his computer by making funny faces. In a video for the project, Carl explains that he is weaker now than he was when he was six months old due to muscular dystrophy. "Muscular dystrophy needs, that actually increased. I gained something in a physical sense for the first time."
Google has no plans to directly productize Project GameFace, but it has open sourced all of its code and published it on GitHub. The project page warns that "the project is not intended for use in life-critical decisions," although what's more important than a game? Ask our friends at the Department of Transportation and Works and they'll tell you, "Nothing!"
Another piece of good news is that while Project GameFace constantly tracks facial movement, it doesn't store images or any data for facial recognition.
So, the next time someone tells you that the obvious end game for all AI is global destruction, pause for a moment and think about maybe even mentioning Carl. Where there is utility and purpose, there is possibility. In fact, AI has as much potential for good as it does for harm.
Maybe we just need to point it in the right direction. Maybe.
techradar 