Big Brother Is Watching You...

By Jonathan Armstrong, Selina Hinchliffe, and Nicola Bennison

The US Patent Office last month published a new Microsoft patent application. The application is for workplace monitoring software and patent lawyers are suggesting this application could be granted within the year.

So what is it that Microsoft wants to produce and how, if at all, will this help businesses?

Using wireless sensors, the software covered by the application can remotely monitor a worker's physical wellbeing, productivity and competence. Much like the traditional 'lie detector', the software will track (amongst other things) an individual's heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure and movement, allowing it to automatically detect stress.