Echo and Echo Dot 4th General: Amazon uses ultrasound to identify people

Amazon has expanded on the 4th generation Echo (test) and 4th generation Echo Dot (test), which involves detecting the presence of people in a room by activating an ultrasonic signal transmitted through a loudspeaker, which is invisible to humans.

Detecting movement as a stimulus for routine actions

According to current knowledge it is only released in the US and the new functionality not yet available in Germany, for example, can be used to trigger built-in practices through the Alexa application. Once a person enters the room, the light can be turned on, for example, without the need for an additional motion sensor in the room. If there is no one in the room, the lamp will turn off automatically.

Select “Smart Home” as the if condition when configuring the new custom. In the next step, you can select the fourth generation Echo or Echo Dot, which then delivers new triggers such as “If people are detected” and “If no people are detected”. Initial reports from the United States immediately identify the person entering the room, but it may take up to 30 minutes for it to be recorded through a smart speaker.

Motion detection can be disabled

In the device settings of the respective Echo speakers in the Alexa application, the ultrasonic motion detection option is also turned off completely for each device individually.

Noise detection in Germany as well

On the other hand, in the case of Germany, users can now opt out of the audio recording released in a public preview. Pre-defined sounds act as a regular stimulus. You can currently choose from “barking dogs”, “crying baby”, “cough” and “snore”. Along with many other inventions like the autonomous Alexa Robot Astro, Amazon provided this functionality at the end of September.

Enable new voice via settings

The new masculine voice issued yesterday for Alexa can no longer be used in the editorial office. “Alexa, change your voiceThe corresponding option “Enable, but in the meantime Alexa’s voice” is available in the device settings of echo speakers. If “New” is selected here, you can use the new voice. However, this can only be changed this way until Amazon completes the roll-out.