Gadget Gestures

Lets Gesture about Gadgets

Friday, February 26, 2021
Log in
  • News
  • Tablets
  • SmartPhones
  • Laptops
  • Cameras
  • Games
  • Apps/Softwares
  • iPad/iPhone
  • Latest News
    • Lenovo A10000, A30000 and A60000
    • TV Has Never Been this Smart – the New Motto of Samsung Smart TVs
    • Nokia Lumia 1020 on Sale at AT&T
    • How Can a Sniffer Help in Detecting Lost or Stolen Mobile Phones?
    • Amazon expected to launch FireTube TV box before Christmas
    • Nokia Lumia 521 Release Date,Features, Specs, Price- Will be Available through T- Mobile
    • New Mercedes-Maybach S600, Priced At 200,000 dollars
    • Intel unveils Jarvis, Edison and dual-OS processors
    • Blackberry Z10 Problems of over heating, Rebooting: Even New BB 10 OS is not Helping
    • Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 – Compare Possible Price, Design, Display, Features
    • Evernote Integration of New Google Drive Button
    • White Nexus 4 Release Date Subdue Possibilities of Verizon Nexus 4 LTE

Microsoft’s Mimicker Alarm Helps You Become an Early Riser

January 22, 2016 By Mary Duncan Leave a Comment

Mimicker Alarm Microsoft’s Mimicker Alarm helps you become an early riser, by forcing you to make funny faces or say tongue twisters, unless you want it to ring again and again and again.

The newly developed app, available solely for Android devices for now (versions 4.1 Jelly Bean or higher), was launched on Wednesday, January 20, by the Microsoft Corporation.

The free software assists users who have trouble waking up in the morning to complete this apparently simple, yet grueling task.

Moreover, it also ensures that people actually remain wide awake and start off their daily routine, instead of getting up just briefly, in order to dismiss the alarm and then doze off once again.

This is achieved by having the app user play a “mimic” game. Basically, the program asks the would-be early riser to complete a given task in less than 30 seconds.

If the individual manages to successfully do that, the alarm stops ringing; otherwise, it resumes as many times as necessary, making it impossible for the user to oversleep and be late for school or work.

There are 3 sets of games that players can choose from, and the app can be customized in order to select one of them or a combination of them so as to serve as a “mimic challenge”.

For example, one such quest requires the user to take a selfie, illustrating a specific emotion. The software verifies if the that feeling was exhibited vividly and convincingly enough thanks to its Emotion API (application program interface).

This is based on Microsoft’s Project Oxford, through which tools powered by artificial intelligence are developed, focusing on 4 major fields: facial recognition, speech to text conversion, photo editing and analysis and natural language processing.

Based on machine learning, the Mimicker Alarm is capable of examining the user’s face, and determine if it’s indeed enacting the required sentiment.

As explained by Allison Light, program manager at Project Oxford, if the portrayal is too weak and unpersuasive, then the app will ask the individual to try harder, in order to prove that he or she is indeed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Another game requires the user to say a tongue twister, and success in completing this task is assesses based on the software’s Speech API, which examines language patterns and ensures that the incredibly hard to articulate phrase was spoken not just correctly, but also fast enough.

The last trial consists of identifying and photographing an object in the house bearing a particular color. So as to verify if the goal was achieved, the app relies on its Computer Vision API, which distinguishes hues in a photograph.

Even more, upon successfully completing the daily Mimic challenge, users can share their results on social media, in order to let friends and family know about their efforts of turning from night owls into early birds.

While the games may seem childish and simple at first, in the early hours of morning they may prove more demanding or stimulating than expected.

Also, they show just how advanced machine learning has become nowadays, allowing electronic devices to analyze visual content, speech, body language and micro-expressions.

Those wishing to test Microsoft’s Mimicker Alarm will be relieved to know that despite the fact that the app requires them to make recordings or upload personal photos, the data they transmit to the Project Oxford platform will only be used in order to make the machine learning software more reliable, without serving in any way to identify them or compromise their privacy.

The lifestyle app that promises to make early rising more entertaining and effortless than ever is completely free of charge, and can be downloaded at the Google Play Store. Also, developers wishing to create their own program inspired by the Mimicker Alarm can access the open-source technology on GitHub.

Image Source: Thurrott

Filed Under: News Tagged With: api, Artificial Intelligence, facial recognition, Google Play Store, lifestyle app, machine learning, Microsoft, Mimicker Alarm, natural language processing, open-source technology, photo editing, Project Oxford, speech to text

As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, this site may earn from qualifying purchases. We may also earn commissions on purchases from other retail websites.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5 other subscribers

Recent Articles

GitHub stickers displaying a cat-octopus with a human face

Microsoft Acquires GitHub for $7.5 Billion’s Worth of Shares

June 5, 2018 By Mary Duncan Leave a Comment

Teenage girl browsing her smartphone while sitting at the table

Facebook Is No Longer the Top Social Media Platform Among Teenagers

June 4, 2018 By Lori David Leave a Comment

Fake news headline on a laptop screen

Facebook Is Taking Its Fight Against Misinformation to a Whole New Level

May 25, 2018 By Brandi McCants Leave a Comment

Unsolved Rubik cube on a black background

An Australian Professional Speedcuber Broke His Own Record at Solving a Rubik Cube

May 6, 2018 By Lori David Leave a Comment

Cambridge Analytica logo on a computer screen

Soon After the Facebook Scandal, Cambridge Analytica Is Going Bankrupt

May 3, 2018 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

Windows restore disk placed in a paper envelope for CDs

Renowned E-Waste Recycler Goes to Jail for Distributing Free Windows Restore Disks

April 25, 2018 By Micheal Baptiste Leave a Comment

nasa globe and emblem outside a building

NASA Announces its Investments in Future Tech Concepts Such as Biobots and Shapeshifters

April 3, 2018 By Brandi McCants Leave a Comment

YouTube app opened in browser with the logo on top of it

YouTube Increases the Number of Ads to Trick Users into Subscribing to Its Paid Streaming Platform

March 22, 2018 By Mary Duncan Leave a Comment

Facebook dislike button

Facebook Stock Falling for Second Straight Day amid Data Scandal

March 21, 2018 By Paul Leave a Comment

Permanently Delete Facebook

WhatsApp Founder to Facebook Users: ‘Delete Facebook’

March 21, 2018 By Paul Leave a Comment

Uber driverless car

Uber Driverless Car Kills Woman in Arizona

March 20, 2018 By Paul Leave a Comment

Windows 10 Update reaches 35%

Microsoft: Windows 10 Updates To Take No Longer than 30 Min

March 20, 2018 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

The Apple Watch

Apple Watch User Awakened by 3 Cops In His Bedroom after Accidental Call

March 19, 2018 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

Pokemon Go Character

Pokemon Go Player Attacks Other Player IRL for Losing Gym

March 19, 2018 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

Pages

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Team

Recent Posts

  • Samsung Tablet 10.1 Review: Perfect for Your Entertainment Needs October 29, 2020
  • Take Better Pictures Today With These 9 Helpful IPhone Camera Settings November 4, 2019
  • The 6 Best Gaming Desks to Give You a Great View October 31, 2019
  • How Much RAM Do I Need for Gaming? Here’s the Sweet Spot for Optimal Performance October 21, 2019
  • Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 11s Review: A Teaser October 16, 2019
  • Basic Computer Skills – 6 Tips You Need to Know! September 30, 2019
  • Why is my Laptop Fan so Loud? Six Possible Reasons for the Noisy Nuisance September 9, 2019

Copyright © 2021 GadgetGestures.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Contact

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more.