Amazon is reportedly developing a wearable device that can recognize your emotional state
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
In the latest example of a real news story that sounds like the premise of a Black Mirror episode, Amazon is reportedly developing a device capable of "recognizing human emotions," Bloomberg reports.
A voice-activated wrist device currently in development at the company would be able to "discern the wearer's emotional state from the sound of his or her voice," the report says. It would be equipped with microphones and paired with a smartphone app, and Bloomberg writes that internal Amazon documents suggest the technology could also "be able to advise the wearer how to interact more effectively with others."
Beta testing on this project, which is being code-named Dylan, is reportedly underway, although the report notes it's not exactly clear how far along work on it is or if this will become a commercial product. But the report cites a 2017 patent that suggests Amazon could "use knowledge of a user's emotions to recommend products or otherwise tailor responses."
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This comes as Amazon is also developing a robot that's described as essentially a "mobile Alexa" with advanced cameras and that can "navigate through homes like a self-driving car" — and, if eventually combined with this Dylan technology, perhaps fully understand just how creepy you find it.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
