Mobile that allows bosses to snoop on staff developed

by Michael Fitzpatrick, BBC News, Tokyo

Researchers have produced a mobile phone that could be a boon for prying bosses wanting to keep tabs on the movements of their staff.  Japanese phone giant KDDI Corporation has developed technology that tracks even the tiniest movement of the user and beams the information back to HQ.

It works by analysing the movement of accelerometers, found in many handsets. Activities such as walking, climbing stairs or even cleaning can be identified, the researchers say.  The company plans to sell the service to clients such as managers, foremen and employment agencies.

“Technically, I think this is an incredibly important innovation,” says Philip Sugai, director of the mobile consumer lab at the International University of Japan. “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.”

Until now, mobile phone motion sensors were capable of detecting only repetitive movements such as walking or running.  The KDDI system, is able to detect more complex behaviour by using analytical software – held on a server back at base – to match patterns of common movements. [We would say, “patterns of common events” – DCL]. For example, the KDDI mobile phone strapped to a cleaning worker’s waist can tell the difference between actions performed such as scrubbing, sweeping, walking and even emptying a rubbish bin.  …   Read report.