Microsoft’s biometric monitor patent is designed to combat anxiety
It appears Microsoft is worried that workers aren’t properly taking care of themselves, hence why the company is planning to do it for them. As seen in a patent published on April 22, Microsoft has an “Emotion Detection From Contextual Signals For Surfacing Wellness Insights” feature in the works (via Computerworld).
Ever notice your stress or anxiety levels spiking when sending an email? That’s the type of thing the patent covers. A device of some sort (perhaps a smartwatch) will see your increased blood pressure or heart rate at the time of performing a work activity and provide you with an anxiety score, potentially accompanied by a “wellness recommendation.”
The wellness insights and recommendation statements cited in the patent as examples of the technology at work include the following quotes:
- “Your voice sounded agitated in your last meeting.”
- “Your email traffic spikes at 9:00 am. Try to eat breakfast before you start responding.”
- “Consider talking to colleague@company.com–a fresh perspective may help.”
That’s the long and short of it. If you’re the type of employee who doesn’t know what tone they’re giving off, forgets to eat breakfast, or wants your computer to tell you who to associate with, it seems Microsoft is soon going to solve a lot of your problems. It makes sense that a tech patent such as this one would originate from the same company that recently confirmed employees need breaks from work in order to function properly. The future of worker wellness has never been brighter.
The next Windows 10 feature update will arrive in May, Microsoft confirms
Microsoft has today confirmed that the next Windows 10 feature update, known up until now as version 21H1, will begin rolling out in May. The update will be called the “May 2021 Update” and will be a very minor release featuring the ability to choose between multiple Windows Hello webcams and a couple of enterprise-focused additions.
Interview: Midwinter devs talk about Scavengers’ blending of genres
Scavengers is an upcoming free-to-play multiplayer survival game that blends PvE and PvP together for a chaotic, yet strategic experience. We caught up with developers Josh Holmes and Mary Olson to chat about the game’s design, inspirations, and more.
These are the best motherboards for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600
The motherboard is the heart of your PC, connecting your CPU, RAM, GPU, storage, and all other devices together, allowing the OS to communicate between components. Here are the best motherboards for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600.
