Amazon is reportedly developing a wearable device that can recognize your emotional state
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."
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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.
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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.
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