Marketing, sports data apps join fight against pandemic (updated)
21/01/2021 01:32
(Adds details on facial detection system in paragraph 3)
TOKYO, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Devices designed for improving
customer marketing and sports performance are now being used in
the fight against COVID-19 as companies deploy their
technologies to meet new needs during the pandemic.
Hitachi-LG Data Storage originally developed its 3D LiDAR
People Counter sensor for retail stores to track shoppers'
movements and analyse data in order to improve sales and
customer satisfaction.
The company, a joint venture between Japan's Hitachi
6501.T and South Korea's LG Electronics 066570.KS , has now
paired the application with a heat detection and camera app that
takes customers' temperatures and checks if they are wearing a
mask with a facial detection system.
The technology monitors the number of people and their
movements to reduce congestion and it estimates wait times at
cash registers, to help reduce infection risks. It can also
determine whether or not a customer has stopped by a specific
area such as a required hand sanitizer station.
It comes as retailers seek to create a safe environment and
restore peace of mind to the in-store experience as fears of
infection have driven customers away during the pandemic.
"It was often used for marketing before but recently it has
been used in various places for unmanned stores. Since the
coronavirus the number of unmanned stores has increased quite a
lot," Norimoto Ichikawa, head of Hitachi-LG Data Storage's
software development team, told Reuters at the annual Wearables
Expo in Tokyo.
Union Tool 6278.T , exhibiting at the same trade show, said
it was hoping to market its wearable heart sensor for
applications including as a monitoring device for COVID-19
patients at quarantine hotels.
The sensor, which can remotely monitor a person's heart rate
and temperature, is now used for health management and
collection of biometric data for sports and exercise.
Union Tool is teaming with Toyobo 3101.T for the sensor to
be used with the latter's stretchable conductive film for
wearable devices and used in clothing.
"If the number of patients increases in the future and more
people will need to be quarantined at home or hotel, I think
there's a possibility that such sensors can be used to remotely
monitor people's condition in real time," said Naoki Jimbo, head
of Union Tool's sales and marketing department.
(Reporting by Akira Tomoshige and Mayu Yoshida; Writing by
Chris Gallagher; Editing by Kim Coghill)
((chris.gallagher@thomsonreuters.com;))