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[Amazon] has patented designs for a wristband that would track where its workers put their hands in relation to inventory bins and give "haptic feedback" to signal if they have the right bin to retrieve an item or not. The patent documents were first spotted by GeekWire.
The "ultrasonic bracelet", supposed to be a time- and labour-saving device, would work by periodically emitting ultrasonic sound pulses to a receiver, tracking which bin a worker is reaching for and monitoring how efficiently they fulfill orders. The wristband would also send and receive radio transmissions, pinning a worker's location and giving a burst of "haptic feedback", a vibration similar to those found in phones or game controllers, which would tell the employee if they're reaching for the right bin or not.
The approach would eliminate the need for extra time-consuming acts, "such as pushing a button associated with the inventory bin or scanning a barcode associated with the inventory bin," one patent's description reads.
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Friday February 02 2018, @03:51AM (1 child)
will they offer discounts on their new employee health care for workers who wear these, or will they make wearing these compulsory, then refuse the imsurance claims (and future employment) of those who "under perform"?
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 02 2018, @12:12PM
Maybe both, in that order.