Apple has invested between $1.5 billion and $2 billion to acquire the Israeli startup Q.ai, which has developed technology that translates silent brain signals into digital commands.
Apple has made a significant investment between $1.5 billion and $2 billion to acquire the Israeli startup Q.ai, marking its second-largest acquisition after Beats in 2014. The startup has developed a groundbreaking 'silent speech' technology that interprets subtle motor signals from the brain sent to facial muscles before articulation, converting them into words and digital commands at a speed of 500 frames per second using infrared cameras.
In a related development, Israel's defense research agency, Mafat, has announced its own version of this technology aimed at enabling special operations forces to communicate silently on the battlefield. This raises important questions about the blurred lines between civilian and military applications of such technologies, highlighting ethical and legal implications surrounding the commercialization of military innovations.
Additionally, the report indicates that Apple is secretly developing a wearable device similar in size to an AirTag, designed to be attached discreetly to clothing without screens or touch interfaces. This device is expected to feature two cameras and three microphones and will function in conjunction with Siri and Apple Intelligence, with projections suggesting a launch in 2027 and a production goal of 20 million units as part of Apple's broader strategy to transition into a post-smartphone era.
