A new device aims to give people control over who can hear them in a world filled with gadgets that are always listening and capturing your conversations. A startup called Deveillance has introduced Spectre I, a portable device designed to stop microphones in nearby devices from recording your voice.
The company says the device can make conversations unintelligible to phones, smart speakers, laptops, and other gadgets that constantly listen for audio. The idea addresses a growing concern around always-on devices.
According to the company, about 14.4 billion devices worldwide are continuously listening for voice input. These recordings often become valuable data sources used for data mining, training artificial intelligence systems, influencing our buying behaviours or deepest opinions.
Even a short sample of speech can reveal sensitive personal details. Around 30 seconds of voice data can help determine traits such as age, weight, income level, and even health information.
A device that creates a privacy bubble around your voice
Spectre I works by creating a two meter protection zone around the user. When activated, it scans for nearby microphones and emits signals that humans cannot hear, but microphones can detect.
These signals overlay your speech so that recording devices receive distorted audio that cannot be understood.
Unlike traditional signal jammers that rely on strong radio interference, the device uses artificial intelligence, signal processing, and physics based research to target microphones directly.
The system operates locally on the device and does not send any data to the cloud. The portable design of Spectre I makes it easy to carry anywhere.
Deveillance says this makes it useful in business meetings, personal conversations, or any situation where people want to keep discussions private.
The company has opened pre-orders for Spectre I with a refundable deposit of $1,199. The device is currently in development, with the first shipments expected in the second half of 2026.
Privacy groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation have long warned about the risks of always-on surveillance. Deveillance says Spectre I is only the beginning of its effort to give users more control over how their data is collected and shared.