By @t3dotcom
Publication Date: 2026-02-14 10:00:00
One of my favourite things about having a smart speaker is voice commands, as it gives you hands-free access to making calls, reading instructions, setting timers, and more. But let’s face it – shouting ‘Hey Google’ 20 times a day can get a bit tiring.
But if you have a Google Nest speaker or display, I just found out about a ‘hidden’ feature that means you don’t have to constantly yell for Google’s help for your device to interact with you. And it’s all down to Ultrasound Sensing.
Ultrasound Sensing is a feature that uses your Google Nest’s speaker and microphone to detect when a person is approaching your device. How it works is the speaker emits ultrasonic, inaudible sound waves that reflect off nearby objects which the microphone then picks up.
With this technology, Ultrasound Sensing can determine when a user is up to six inches of the device. Once it finds you’re close to the speaker or display, it’ll automatically make controls appear….


