Volvo is a pioneer of safety, and for the 2023 Cannes Future Lions they issued a challenge to help them pioneer the use of technology to protect people and planet beyond cars.
I provided technical consulting and experience design. Made together with Sabelle Chambers, Ryan King, and Lanie Vorwerk.
The Streambelt extension for Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) helps protect streamers' personal information by using technology enabled by AI and machine learning to detect and block any sensitive information that might accidentally appear in their stream. For example, if a driver's license or a piece of mail is visible on the stream, the extension will automatically blur or hide it so that viewers cannot see it. This uses computer vision algorithms.
The extension also monitors the streamer's audio feed for sensitive information, such as their full name or address. If any sensitive information is detected, the extension will garble the audio, making it unintelligible to viewers or listeners. This uses natural language processing.
Natural language processing also lets streamers set a "safe word" in the extension ahead of time. If the safe word is spoken during the stream, the extension immediately triggers a set of customizable emergency actions. As defined by the user, the actions may include stopping the stream, sending a message to a designated person, or alerting emergency services, among other predefined actions.
The extension also monitors the streamer's audio feed for sensitive information, such as their full name or address. If any sensitive information is detected, the extension will garble the audio, making it unintelligible to viewers or listeners. This uses natural language processing.
Computer Vision Algorithms
Natural Language Processing
Natural language processing is a type of artificial intelligence that enables machines to understand and interpret human language. Trained on a large dataset that includes words or sounds that may contain sensitive information, Streambelt's algorithm analyzes the streamer's spoken words, listening for things like full names or addresses. If identified, the extension automatically malforms the audio, disguising the sound to prevent viewers from understanding the sensitive information without garbling other words or audio.