Mapping your every move at work….for your own good, of course
If you didn’t already feel as if you’re every move is now being tracked and turned into someone else’s data, then check out Hitachi, Ltd.’s new employee ID and sensor network. The system is based on a name-tag style personal sensor network terminal, that each employee wears around his or her neck. The device tracks the wearer’s location, monitoring activities as well as the amount of time each worker interacts with other workers. On the safety side, the devices are also equipped with radio communication, and additional sensors.
The real-time data collected by Hitachi’s network is processed by servers and then displayed as a “topographical map of the organization.” The goal is to show how workers interact with each other to determine the relationships within and between groups of workers. So, not only does Big Brother know where you are at every moment, but they also know who you’re talking with and, of course, who you’re avoiding.
The Hitachi system is in the experimental stage right now, but they may be planning to put it on the market in 2008.