(Mass Private I) It is hard to imagine a more intrusive home surveillance device than a faucet or toilet that listens to everyone’s conversations, but that is just what Delta Faucet and Kohler have done.
Delta Faucet’s “Voice IQ” takes advantage of where lots of people like to congregate and turns it into an Alexa eavesdropping center.
“Designed with the understanding that 20 percent of all WiFi-enabled homes are equipped with a connected home device, VoiceIQ Technology pairs with existing devices to dispense the exact amount of water needed, all with a simple voice command.”
Delta lets Alexa decide how much water everyone gets.
“VoiceIQ Technology allows users to easily warm water and turn it on and off with voice activation, lending a hand in an active kitchen space. Consumers can command the faucet to dispense a metered amount of water in various quantities for precise measurement. Additionally, consumers can customize commands to make everyday tasks easier, like filling a coffee pot, a child’s sippy cup, or a dog bowl.”(To learn more about Voice IQ click here.)
What they are really saying is Amazon will now monitor your home and individual water usage.
How is that for Orwellian?
Install Alexa in your kitchen at you own peril:
I cannot tell you how often TV shows like “Buying Hawaii” or “Caribbean Life“ show prospective homeowners discussing how they want to entertain friends and family in their new kitchen.
So despite what Delta’s promotional video says, “the kitchen is not a great place for some hands-free help.”
I mean who in their right mind thinks that Alexa’s “hands free help” does not include moderators listening to your conversations while entertaining?
Delta is also offering Alexa’s “hands free help” to homeowners with older kitchens.
“VoiceIQ Technology will be available summer 2019 as a pre-assembled feature on select Delta Trinsic® pull-down models with Touch2O Technology. For an added level of convenience, a retrofittable module for VoiceIQ Technology will be available to upgrade existing kitchen faucets with Delta Touch2O Technology manufactured after January 1, 2018.”
No thanks, I’m good. I do not want to turn my faucet into an Amazon eavesdropping device.
I mean, what’s next a voice-activated toilet?
