NPR

Wrist Watching: Amazon Patents System To Track, Guide Employees' Hands

The online retailer has acquired patents for wristbands using radio frequencies or ultrasonic pulses to identify exactly where a warehouse worker's hands are, and indicate if they need to move.
A diagram from an Amazon patent application shows a human worker (labeled with "14") wearing an ultrasonic bracelet tracking his or her hand movements and providing feedback. The patent was granted on Tuesday.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted Amazon two patents for wristbands that could track the exact location of warehouse workers' hands — and give workers tactile feedback to help guide them to a specific shelf.

The wristband and receiver system, as shown above in a diagram from the patent application, would rely on radio frequencies or ultrasonic pulses to monitor the device's

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
From Pandemic To Protests, The Class Of 2024 Has Been Through A Lot
Pomp and circumstance again fall victim to circumstance for some students in the graduating class of 2024, as protests over the war in Gaza threaten to disrupt commencement ceremonies.
NPR3 min read
What's Making Us Happy: A Guide To Your Weekend Viewing And Reading
Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: Vanderpump Rules recaps, the book The Worst Ronin, and a duet by Pavarotti and Celine Dion.
NPR2 min read
Brian Wilson Of The Beach Boys Is Being Placed Under A Legal Conservatorship
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge approved the conservatorship Thursday, noting that Brian Wilson suffers from "a major cognitive disorder." Wilson has agreed to the conservatorship.

Related Books & Audiobooks