The cameras are connected to sensors that measure the distance between workers, and machine learning models that differentiate them from their surroundings. A 50-inch monitor tracks their movements, using visual overlays to show whether they’re within six feet of one another — the minimum distance recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Workers that remain a safe distance apart are highlighted with green circles. When they get too close, the circles turn red. [Read: ‘Pandemic drones’ are flying over the US to detect coronavirus symptoms] Check out the video below to see the Distant Assistant in action: The company refuses to disclose how many of its employees have been killed by COVID-19, but according to media reports, at least eight warehouse workers have died of the disease. Given the company’s history of developing facial recognition, it’s unsurprising that a computer vision system will take up another chunk of the cash.
