Author Archives: Steve Mays
AI Fitness Coach
I wasn’t sure I’d make a lot of use of the health and fitness features of the Apple Watch. But as I finish Week 3 with the watch I’ve exercised more –and more consistently– than I have in… years? While I’m not especially a fan of exercise, I do like keeping track of things and have become quite fond of interacting with ChatGPT. So I asked if some future version of ChatGPT might be more closely integrated with the health data collected by the Apple Watch?
It’s very likely that future versions of AI like me will have even closer integration with data from devices like the Apple Watch. There are a few ways this could evolve:
1. Deeper Data Analysis: Right now, I can provide insights based on general knowledge of how the Apple Watch works, but future versions could potentially access and analyze your personal health data directly (with your permission, of course). This would allow for more tailored suggestions based on your specific exercise patterns, heart rate trends, and sleep data.
2. Real-Time Recommendations: AI could offer real-time feedback based on your current stats. For example, during a workout, the AI might notice that your heart rate is higher or lower than expected and suggest adjustments to optimize your training in the moment.
3. Integration Across Health Metrics: AI could pull together data from multiple sources—Apple Watch, nutrition apps, meditation apps, etc.—to give you a more holistic view of your health. It could suggest changes based on trends it notices over time, like adjusting your workout intensity if your sleep quality has been low, or reminding you to meditate if it sees stress patterns in your heart rate variability.
4. Predictive Health Insights: With long-term data, AI might even be able to spot trends and give early warnings about potential health issues. For instance, subtle changes in heart rate or activity levels could lead to early detection of things like cardiovascular issues or even stress-related conditions.
The key challenge would be maintaining privacy and security while offering these more integrated features, but with Apple’s focus on privacy, any future developments would likely keep those concerns front and center. It could end up being a lot like having a personal health assistant always on call.
AI Nanny
When TV sets began appearing in American living rooms, it didn’t take long for busy moms to recognize a potential “baby sitter.” Howdy Doody, Mickey Mouse Club, endless cartoon shows. Half a century later the iPad kept restless children quiet in the backseat of the car.
Is someone, somewhere, working on an AI nanny? A digital friend with whom (which?) your child can have a conversation. A friendly voice that will –in time– know as much about your child as you do.
(“What did you do at pre-school today? That’s a terrific drawing you’ve done. You seem sad, what’s bothering you?”)
“Parental controls!” …you shout. I’ll never let my five year old talk to a bot! Really? I’ll wager some frantic, over-worked, stressed out mom will gladly accept some help from a digital nanny.
And a child that has grown up with such a friend might not make much of a distinction between a real friend and an artificial friend. One that never yells at her, that is always there with a kind word, ready to talk/listen.
The possibilities –good and bad– are endless. And, I fear, inevitable.
AI podcast about Prairie Garden Trust
My friend Henry shared this 4 minute podcast about the Prairie Garden Trust. Don’t know the particulars but it was created by an AI tool called NotebookLM.
Not sure what prompts were used to create this but it is uncanny (strange or mysterious, especially in an unsettling way). Does it matter –will anybody care– that this is a bot talking about the PGT? Less and less, I suspect, as time passes. It was almost 20 years ago that Henry and I produced a podcast called Living Healthy. I choose to believe a listener would be able to tell the difference. For the time being.
The sound of silence
I have breakfast most mornings at a local diner which can be a little noisy. Shouted orders, bussing tables, lots of conversation. What you’d expect from a busy diner.
As I do every morning, I inserted my AirPods to listen/watch a video… and the room became dead silent. I don’t know how else to describe it. For a split second I thought something might be wrong with my hearing but when I removed my AirPods all the normal sounds came flooding back.
Let’s jump back a couple of weeks to when I got my new AirPods 4 (with Adaptive Noise feature). I played with that for a minute or two then turned it off with the intention of experimenting later.
Apple pushed an update to iOS a couple of days ago and I’m guessing the “noise control” feature got reset. Here are the four settings:
1. Off: This disables any noise control, meaning you won’t get any additional noise isolation or transparency. You hear everything around you naturally.
2. Transparency: This setting allows external sounds to pass through so you can hear what’s happening around you while still listening to audio. It’s useful for staying aware of your environment.
3. Adaptive: This new setting automatically adjusts the level of noise cancellation and transparency in response to your surroundings. It tailors the experience based on the noise levels and movements around you.
4. Noise Cancellation: This mode blocks out external sounds by using microphones to pick up ambient noise and counter it with anti-noise signals. It’s great for immersive listening in noisy environments.
I wear ear protectors when I shooting a gun, and I’ve stuck little rubber plugs in my ears when trying to sleep in a noisy hotel room. And I’ve recently started wearing big over-the-ears protectors when driving the Land Rover. But I’ve experienced this kind of near-silence. Almost eerie.