Amazon patents wristband that tracks warehouse workers' movements

Bracelet, which can vibrate to point an employee's hand in the right direction, would further increase surveillance of work environment Wed 31 Jan 2018 19.30 EST Last modified on Wed 31 Jan 2018 20.00 EST Amazon has patented designs for a wristband that can precisely track where warehouse employees are placing their hands and use vibrations to nudge them in a different direction. The concept, which aims to streamline the fulfilment of orders, adds another layer of surveillance to an already challenging working environment. When someone orders a product from Amazon, the details are transmitted to the handheld computers that all warehouse staff carry. Upon receiving the order details, the worker must rush to retrieve the product from one of many inventory bins on shelves, pack it into a delivery box and move on to the next assignment. The proposed wristbands would use ultrasonic tracking to identify the precise location of a worker's hands as they retrieve items.