Why have app / voice controlled flashlights not really emerged yet?

[wle]

@m03da

@wle

on another note, actual voice control by just the light[no phone involved] is probably beyond any processor that you would want on a flashlight

There actually are dedicated voice recognition chips if you’re fine with finite set of commands and don’t require the ‘natural conversational control’ of Al(l hearing)exas and similar.

so how could that be part of a flashlight design?

would you just say “execute A” and A does light function 1?

how much current at what voltage do those use?

guessing they need 5V

wle

[wle]

@wle

@m03da

@wle

on another note, actual voice control by just the light[no phone involved] is probably beyond any processor that you would want on a flashlight

There actually are dedicated voice recognition chips if you’re fine with finite set of commands and don’t require the ‘natural conversational control’ of Al(l hearing)exas and similar.

so how could that be part of a flashlight design?

would you just say “execute A” and A does light function 1?

how much current at what voltage do those use?

guessing they need 5V

wle

can we get the OP started on his design somehow?

[wle]

what happened with the lenser light or app, or whatever that was in the first post?

[m03da (a bear.)]

@wle

so how could that be part of a flashlight design?

would you just say “execute A” and A does light function 1?

how much current at what voltage do those use?

guessing they need 5V

wle

No idea on electrics, I’ve never used them in my designs nor felt the need, I don’t like talking computers nor talking to computers.

But I could see commands like ‘turn on’, ‘switch to flood’, ‘switch to throw’, ‘brightness up’, ‘brightness down’ etc.

[tactical_grizzly]

@m03da

Oh no. Oh no no no. No way I’m getting a mainstream smartphone and signing up for an online ‘service’ just to be able to use all features of my hypothetical flashlight, which is exactly what would happen. Screw the app economy and the concept of hardware as a service. It’s only a way for manufacturers to retain factual ownership over stuff you buy, you’re merely a tenant and it’s up to the manufacturer to decide to kill or restrict or paywall features unilaterally.

Not to mention the fact that whatever is phone-controlled requires you to keep two devices with you and charged up.

@m03da

I’ve read your post and understood your intended meaning, I’m stating what I’m convinced manufacturers would make of the concept, since I’ve seen it happen many times with different classes of hardware.

My thoughts exactly.

[m03da (a bear.)]

@tactical_grizzly

My thoughts exactly.

A bear to bear kind of understanding. I love it.

[sb56637]

Believe it or not I think the first Bluetooth-controlled flashlight debuted at FastTech and was announced right here on BLF in 2013:

• FLEX Asgard @ Fasttech
• $59.00 FLEX Asgard 1052-Lumen Programmable Cree XM-L2 LED Flashlight - Bluetooth / XM-L2 T6-1C emitter / 3040mA max / 2*18650 / HA-II at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

[prototype3a]

I’d rather have a light that actually works than some bluetooth app phone voice spyware security malware rubbish.

[wle]

@prototype3a

I’d rather have a light that actually works than some bluetooth app phone voice spyware security malware rubbish.

!

[m03da (a bear.)]

what is happening and why is there a GIANORMOUS THUMB all over my screen all of a sudden

[wle]

GIANORMOUS THUMB==wle approves this msg

[flightless22]

@sb56637

Believe it or not I think the first Bluetooth-controlled flashlight debuted at FastTech and was announced right here on BLF in 2013:

• FLEX Asgard @ Fasttech
• $59.00 FLEX Asgard 1052-Lumen Programmable Cree XM-L2 LED Flashlight - Bluetooth / XM-L2 T6-1C emitter / 3040mA max / 2*18650 / HA-II at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

Whoah, that’s way ahead of its time, shame about QC. (I was not aware archive.org had indexed fasttech :+1: )

[JohnnyMac]

As sb56637 said, Fasttech released the first BT programmable/controllable light. It was a single led thrower. You could program it with and number of modes you wanted in any order in any output level you wanted in any of 255 output levels. You could even program it with any text you wanted and it would flash it out in Morse code. Shockingly it never caught on and few saw the real purpose in such a thing. Way ahead of it's time.

Around 2015 Manker released their first production light, the Godmes, a triple led 3000 lumen torch that could be controlled and/or programmed via BT and mobile app. It too was still ahead of it's time. I still have both lights. They were pretty awesome IMO.

[Boaz]

HIGH !!!

Hello !!

*^^$(&@^$^ Piece of crap !!

Would you like me to open the flashlight app ?

yes you idiot and turn the light on HIGH !!!

Hello ......Will there be more name calling like before ?

Turn the ^^%**&ing light on !!!

You will now receive a small electrical shock in an attempt to modify your emotional state ...You don't want it in your groin area do you ?.. Please do not attempt to unscrew the battery compartment .

Arugh !!! AHHH !! HELP!!! ..Siri call 911

Please speak clearly ..

. www.youtube.com/embed/Avp9aUkM5g0 NINE >>>> ELEVEN !!!!!

[darosk]

There’s likely a market for this sort of light. My guess is either the market isn’t big enough or the developers don’t think the market is big enough.

[Lightbringer]

@m03da

@tactical_grizzly

My thoughts exactly.

A bear to bear kind of understanding. I love it.

I can’t bear it anymore…

[m03da (a bear.)]

bearly hanging on

[wle]

@darosk

There’s likely a market for this sort of light. My guess is either the market isn’t big enough or the developers don’t think the market is big enough.

they have been around since 2013 at least in some form, mostly failed

[YuvalS]

@YuvalS

That is funny, I was just planing building a voice controlled light for recent O/L challenge and ordered parts but unfortunately didn't get all components on time to include in by project.
Since I wave 2 different channels. Controlling both leds is tricky and requires strange combination of clicks, so I figures out voice control can solve this issue.
After some research I choose the Voice Recognition Module V3 by Elechouse. I got it some time ago but had no time yet to play with it.
Some downsides I already aware of are:
1. It needs 5v so requires some DCDC converter from Li cell
2. It is not compatible with attiny so a bigger MCU is needed.

I will update as soon as I figure out how to use it

Finally I had some time to start with this project :)
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/69319

[Helios_azimuth]

Interested in three, LOL.