Ask HN: Why haven't we seen AI enhanced AirPods microphone yet?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44957957

by ryeguy_24 • 11 months ago

2 7 11 months ago

news.ycombinator.com

Wouldn’t Apple be able to train a model that with AirPods mic recording vs high-quality mic recording to effectively upconvert the poor mic audio into higher quality audio.

I desperately want this feature to improve my audio on work calls all day long. Right now there is an unbelievable difference in quality between AirPods mics and sub 200 dollar wired mics.

bigyabai3• 11 months ago

There's a lot of reasons. The largest reason though is that an Airpods mic consumes ~100x less power than the $200 XLR mic and therefore needs a 100x lower impedence microphone. The low-detail recordings are a feature, not a bug.

SilverElfin• 11 months ago

Can’t you do an AI power improvement of the input sound on your computer, from where you’re doing work video calls?

ryeguy_242• 11 months ago

Exactly. This was my point. Televisions can upconvert from 720p to 4k. In the same sense, the machine learning model would fill in the waveform and mimic a high powered mic. It can do this at the connection point (iPhone / computer).

bigyabai3• 11 months ago

No? You can amplify the audio digitally (which also amplifies analog imperfections like noise/ground hum/wind) or you can try fancy denoising algorithms which are incredibly lossy and imperfect.

I don't know of any "download better audio" solutions to-wit, at least from my time handling live audio.

JohnFen• 11 months ago

Why not use a better mic?

ryeguy_242• 11 months ago

:) I mean, you always by a faster car. My interest is in the ability to enhance the voice quality of the uber-portable AirPods using AI.

Ask HN: Why haven't we seen AI enhanced AirPods microphone yet?

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