By will-buy
Google is beta testing a method to awaken Google Assistant with a glance instead of a spoken wake word on the Nest Hub Max, according to a report from 95o5 Google. Despite early rumors about ultrasound sensors, the “Look and Talk” feature uses google's Nest Hub Max smart display’s camera to spot and activate Google Assistant when a user looks in the camera built into the screen.
Look and Talk
The facial recognition wake word seems to be in beta testing right now, with no formal announcement about when it will end up available. Look and See is a new name for that which was previously called Blue Steel, a mention of signature facial expression of Ben Stiller’s character in the film Zoolander. Turning on Look and Talk would make the Nest Hub Max’s camera a visible version of the “always listening” facet of Google Assitant. Instead of saying “Hey, Google,” and issuing voice commands, users could simply look into the camera from up to five feet away and just start making requests from the voice assistant.
Like the audio wakeword, Google Assistant processes the whole experience around the device, including recognizing people as well as their intent using both Face and Voice Match. Presumably, that will mean it wouldn’t work with people this is not on the connected Google accounts or those using Guest Mode to talk to the voice assistant anonymously. Only the Google Nest Hub Max among Google Assistant-enabled devices has a camera, however the option could theoretically work with any future devices with a camera. Somewhat, Look and Talk is much like the gesture controls for that Nest Hub Max. When it comes to appeal of Look and Talk beyond novelty, it may have tasks a little more efficient, but there may also be some attraction to being able to switch off the wakeword, and it is attendant accidental recordings. Google Assistant accidentally awakening and recording people is a real, if uncommon concern, and one that Google and its voice assistant rivals are keen to eliminate
