TECHNOLOGY

Latest Invention: Cell Phone that Can Help Managers Watch Employees' Every Step

KDDI Corporation, Japanese telecommunications operator, has come up with a technology that can track the movement of a person and transmit the collected information back to the main office.

The technology works by evaluating the movement of accelerometers, which are, by the way, found in nearly every cell phone. According to the researchers, the technology can identify different types of activities, including walking and climbing.

The potential target market for the company's latest invention includes managers and employment agencies.

Philip Sugai, director of the mobile consumer lab at the International University of Japan considers that the technology represents a very important invention. He explains: "For example, when applied to the issue of telemedicine, or other situations in which remotely monitoring or accessing an individual's personal movements is vital to that service." At the same time Mr. Sugai admits that there may be negative consequences when the technology is applied to track employee movements, informs BBC.

By taking advantage of analytical software, the latest invention from the Japanese researchers can detect more sophisticated behavior. Thus it will be able to match models of common movements. Philip Sugai says that if, for instance, the KDDI mobile phone is attached to a cleaning worker's waist, it will be possible to tell the difference between such activities as walking, sweeping and emptying a rubbish bin.

It is worth mentioning that the main goal of the Japanese company is to increase efficiency and allow managers to evaluate the performance of their workers when not at the office.
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