Why is your baby crying? And what if artificial intelligence (AI) could answer that question for you? “If there was a flat little orb the size of a dessert plate that could tell you exactly what your baby needs in that moment? That’s what Q-bear is trying to do.” (Mashable, January 3, 2023) That’s what tech magazine Mashable wrote in a recent article. At CES 2023, the Taiwanese company qbaby.ai demonstrated its AI-powered tool which aims to help parents resolve their needs in a more targeted way. “The soft silicone-covered device, which can be fitted in a crib or stroller, uses Q-bear’s patented tech to analyze a baby’s cries to determine one of four needs from its ‘discomfort index’: hunger, a dirty diaper, sleepiness, and need for comfort. Q-bear’s translation comes within 10 seconds of a baby crying, and the company says it will become more accurate the more you use the device.” (Mashable, January 3, 2023) Whether the tool really works remains to be seen – presumably, baby cries can be interpreted more easily than animal languages. Perhaps the use of the tool is ultimately counterproductive because parents forget to trust their own intuition. The article “CES 2023: The device that tells you why your baby is crying” can be accessed via mashable.com/article/ces-2023-why-is-my-baby-crying.
BY OLIVER BENDEL
