PowerCut and Obfuscator: An Exploration of the Design Space for Privacy-Preserving
summary
Prototypes test two concrete defenses: PowerCut (remote-controlled outlet that severs power) and Obfuscator (ultrasound emitter that drowns voice commands at the microphone while remaining mostly inaudible to humans). A two-year tech probe deploys them with 24 households, 30 participants paid $40 to surface real trade-offs. Results show they provably block recording when engaged but force choices among utility, aesthetics, cost, form factor, LED state visibility, hands-free use, and per-user controls, and participants want multi-functionality and easy deployment.
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chapters (8)
- 0:00Start
- 0:30Voice Assistants: A Blessing!
- 0:56So What's the Problem?
- 1:31Strawman Solutions
- 2:22Privacy Metaphor
- 2:42Metaphor Realizations
- 3:33Study Details
- 4:17Findings
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