Information security/privacy via a decoupled security accessory to an always listening assistant device

1. A decoupled accessory for an always-listening computing device comprising:

a first electronic sensor configured to record user input comprising an utterance or a gesture;

a data connection to the always-listening computing device;

a gate-keeping module implemented by a processor, configured to:

receive, via an exclusive input lead from the first electronic sensor, a first user input;

based on a determination that the first user input comprises a first command:

enable a gate-keeping function, wherein the gate-keeping module blocks data received from the first electronic sensor from passing through the gate-keeping module when the gate-keeping function is enabled; and

send, via an exclusive output lead to the always-listening computing device via the data connection,

a first message, wherein the first message comprises an instruction to disable a functionality of the always-listening computing device;

receive, via the exclusive input lead from the first electronic sensor, a second user input; and

based on a determination that the second user input comprises a second command:

disable the gate-keeping function, wherein the gate-keeping module allows data received from the first electronic sensor to pass through the gate-keeping module when the gate-keeping function is disabled; and

send, via the exclusive output lead to the always-listening computing device via the data connection, a second message, wherein the second message comprises an instruction to re-enable the functionality of the always-listening computing device.

2. The decoupled accessory of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic sensor comprises:

one or more power input leads; and

one or more data output leads to the exclusive input lead of the gate-keeping module, wherein the first electronic sensor does not comprise any input leads from or output leads to other components of the decoupled accessory or of the always-listening computing device.

3. The decoupled accessory of claim 1 , wherein the gate-keeping module comprises one or more power input leads.

4. The decoupled accessory of claim 1 , wherein the functionality of the always-listening computing device comprises at least one of:

audio capture via a microphone; or

image capture via an image capture device.

5. The decoupled accessory of claim 1 , wherein the data connection to the always-listening computing device comprises a cable.

6. The decoupled accessory of claim 5 , wherein the cable is configured to couple to at least one of:

a 3.5 mm jack of the always-listening computing device;

a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port of the always-listening computing device;

a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port of the always-listening computing device;

a Video Graphics Array (VGA) port of the always-listening computing device; or

a Digital Visual Interface (DVI) port of the always-listening computing device.

7. The decoupled accessory of claim 1 , wherein the message is formatted based on requirements of at least one of:

an application programming interface (API) provided by an operating system of the always-listening computing device; or

an API provided by an application executed by the always-listening computing device.

8. A method comprising:

enabling, by a gate-keeping module of a decoupled accessory device connected to a port of an always-listening computing device, a gate-keeping function, wherein:

data input to the gate-keeping module is received via an exclusive input lead from a first electronic sensor associated with the decoupled accessory device, and

data output from the gate-keeping module is transmitted via an exclusive output lead to the port of the always-listening computing device;

disabling, based on a determination that the gate-keeping function is enabled, one or more second electronic sensors associated with the always-listening computing device;

receiving, by the gate-keeping module from the first electronic sensor via the exclusive input lead, a first user input; and

in response to determining that the first user input disables the gate-keeping function, re-enabling, by the gate-keeping module via the exclusive output lead and to the port of the always-listening computing device, the one or more second electronic sensors associated with the always-listening computing device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein disabling the one or more second electronic sensors associated with the always-listening computing device comprises:

sending, from the gate-keeping module of the decoupled accessory device to the port of the always-listening computing device via the exclusive output lead, a message comprising an instruction to disable the one or more second electronic sensors.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the re-enabling the one or more second electronic sensors associated with the always-listening computing device comprises:

sending, from the gate-keeping module of the decoupled accessory device to the port of the always-listening computing device via the exclusive output lead, a message comprising an instruction to enable the one or more second electronic sensors.

11. The decoupled accessory of claim 1 , wherein disconnecting the decoupled accessory from the always-listening computing device does not re-enable the one or more second electronic sensors associated with the always-listening computing device.

12. A system comprising:

an always-listening computing device comprising:

one or more first inputs;

a data port; and

one or more first processors;

a decoupled accessory comprising:

a first electronic sensor configured to record user input comprising an utterance or a gesture;

a data connection configured to couple to the data port of the always-listening computing device;

a gate-keeping module implemented by a second processor configured to:

receive, via an exclusive input lead from the first electronic sensor, a first user input;

based on a determination that the first user input comprises a first command:

enabling a gate-keeping function, wherein the gate-keeping module blocks data received from the first electronic sensor from passing through the gate-keeping module when the gate-keeping function is enabled; and

sending, via an exclusive output lead to the one or more processors of the always-listening computing device via the data connection, a first message, wherein the first message comprises an instruction to disable a functionality of the always-listening computing device;

receive, via the exclusive input lead from the first electronic sensor, a second user input; and

based on a determination that the second user input comprises a second command:

disabling the gate-keeping function, wherein the gate-keeping module allows data received from the first electronic sensor to pass through the gate-keeping module when the gate-keeping function is disabled; and

sending, via the exclusive output lead to the one or more first processors of the always-listening computing device via the data connection, a second message, wherein the second message comprises an instruction to re-enable the functionality of the always-listening computing device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the always-listening computing device comprises at least one of:

a mobile device; or

a digital assistant device.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more inputs of the always-listening computing device comprises at least one of:

a microphone; or

an image capture device.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the gate-keeping module is configured to recognize the command using at least one of: Natural Language Processing or Automated Speech Recognition.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first electronic sensor of the decoupled accessory comprises at least one of:

a microphone;

an image capture device;

a vibration sensor;

a GPS system;

an accelerometer; or

a gyroscope.