The International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) are a large-scale IT company, operating across the globe – headquatered in New York¹.
IBM are major players in the development of artificial intelligence and their latest patent² is something one would only ever expect to see in a sci fi movie.
Soon, workers may no longer need to leave their desks to even get a cup of coffee – thanks to a potential new AI system. ‘Drone delivery of coffee based on a cognitive state of an individual’.
This creation has many more layers to it than just a fancy flying coffee dispenser – it could actually observe and collect data on its recipients.
For example – it could monitor sleep quality of the individual, biometrics, blood pressure, facial expressions and pupil dilation. Potentially, it could assess a meeting and work out the nature and habits of those attending – whether the interaction is casual, lethargic, intense, angry or dysfunctional. This could allow the drone to work out who may need a little boost. It could even instigate a desire for coffee.
‘If it is desired to increase consumption of coffee, and if coffee delivery and consumption is carried out in a public location where it is visable to others, social psychology suggests that the public nature of the serving and consumption will stimulate others to desire coffee in a phenomenon known as “social proof”‘
So what does this mean for us?
Could we be looking at a future where technology tells us how we feel, how we should feel and what we need?
What about the health of our employees? By using technology that increases their desire for caffeine, are we potentially putting their health at risk?
Staff relationships play a large role in their wellbeing – if staff are able to form relationships within the working environment they are more likely to open up if they are feeling low, stressed or unhappy. Meeting and chatting around a tea or coffee is a fundamental part of this bonding process – remove it and it could have a very negative impact.
It is also well documented that regular breaks from a desk and screen benefit eyes, mind and body – staff may not take time to leave their workstation and move about.
If productivity is an issue, there could be more deep routed problems to address. As detailed in a previous post, employers could look at how to create a happy workplace.
To learn more about the benefits of corporate massage, email the team now at info@moaningcowmassage.com or call 020 7129 7310
References ¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM ² http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=10040551 Photo by Jonathan Lampel on Unsplash