Unfortunately, as we have seen in the past, Amazon's use of unilateral "take it or leave it" user agreements gives every legal and commercial advantage to Amazon and few rights to the user. And, Amazon transfers an unknown amount of data to its own servers, ostensibly for "improving the user's experience" -- but little said about pursuing the company's profits, including information sales to the government and foreign entities.
Will you trust Amazon with this level of intrusion -- including the monitoring of your sexual activities-- without a tough iron-clad and enforceable medical privacy "contract without the mandatory arbitration (anti-class action) clause?"
Quote:SNOOZE SENSOR Amazon granted permission to monitor you SLEEPING as tech giant develops mystery radar device
AMAZON was given the green light by federal regulators to deploy a radar sensor that monitors peoples’ sleeping.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday gave Amazon Inc. the go-ahead to utilize a radar sensor technology to detect motion in three dimensions and “enable contactless sleep tracing functionalities.”
“The use of Radar Sensors in sleep tracking could improve awareness and management of sleep hygiene, which in turn could produce significant health benefits for many Americans,” Amazon wrote in a June 22 filing seeking approval to market the radar gizmo, according to a Bloomberg report.
“Radar Sensors will allow consumers to recognize potential sleep issues.”
The tech giant suggests the item will empower people to precisely monitor sleep “with mobility, speech, or tactile impairments,” according to the filing.
Amazon didn’t immediately comment on the federal government’s endorsement.
The company has also been working to enhance the capabilities of its devices like the voice-activated Echo speakers
The company's victory allows it to move ahead with a device that will “enable contactless sleep tracing functionalities"
The description of the new tech remained ambiguous, but Bloomberg noted that the filing last month confirmed it wouldn’t be a mobile device.
The favorable FCC ruling comes two years after Google was granted the use of “Project Soli,” a radar-relying ability that bypasses touchscreens on their smartphones, Reuters reported.
The company is breaking ground in the health sector with its Halo wristband to rival Apple's watch.
Its 3D body scan sensor keeps tabs on body fat and voice tones but has also drawn concerns that such body diagnostic abilities could invade a person's privacy.
The company has also been working to enhance the capabilities of its devices like the voice-activated Echo speakers and its dud Fire smartphone to be capable of responding to hand and other gestures.