Microsoft will evaluate meetings with face and body language! technology news

Microsoft has filed a patent application for the technology that gives quality marks to meetings by observing the facial expressions and body language of employees.

In addition to the “Efficiency Score” feature, which Microsoft introduced last year, which shares data on how often and how employees use Microsoft Office 365 software with managers, uses cameras, sensors, software tools and post-meeting surveys .

The documents included in the 16-page application file of the technology called “Meeting Analysis Information Processing System” can be applied both in a virtual environment and in physical meetings. For the system to work, a large number of surveillance devices and sensors must be placed in the meeting rooms. While this situation brings with it privacy question marks, those who criticize the system say that managers can observe their employees in this way at any time.

WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU COLLECT?

The following data can be recorded with the sensors of the technology in this patent application, which Microsoft made at a time when the use of remote work tools and video conferencing is increasing, especially Teams, with the epidemic coronavirus:

– How many attended the meeting

– How long each participant contributed to the meeting

– What do the facial expressions and body language of the participants mean

If there are intonations in the speech that indicate fatigue or distress

– Whether the participants sent SMS, SMS or surfed the Internet during the meeting

The system developed by Microsoft combines this data to produce a “quality score” that shows how productive the meeting was, how attendees felt, and how comfortable the environment was.

‘BACK TO EMPLOYEE PRIVACY’

In its patent statement, Microsoft uses the following statements: “Many organizations have problems such as too long meeting times and poor attendance. These meetings can be modified and these problems avoided if you know more about the quality of the meeting. “

Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, which campaigns in the field of data security and privacy, said that this system would violate people’s privacy and lead to a serious setback in terms of employee rights.