Intelligent carpet can autodiscriminate

Next time you walk into a hiring office and spot freshly laid carpet, you might want to ensure you're at an equal opportunity employer. A new kind of floor covering has been invented at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan that determines the weight, age, and sex of the individuals strolling across. Aside from allowing hiring managers to make snap decisions about the person approaching their door, the team hopes to use it in less dodgy scenarios such as analyzing shopping patterns or audience demographics at various entertainment venues. The carpet's intelligence is derived from a layer of silicone rubber with built-in electrodes that measure the changes in electrical resistance and current flow caused by someone walking across it. Testing has produced a nearly perfect record when determining ages between 20 and 60, and gender is identified with about 75 percent accuracy -- eerie to say to the least. Although it cannot yet identify your alma mater or intelligence level, at least you can blame the carpet for your demise whenever an interview goes awry.

[TMLC @ Jul 26th 2006 6:17AM]

But does it work through footwear?

[Keith L. Dick @ Jul 26th 2006 6:29AM]

Hmmmm... Isn't that *Discrimination?*...

I mean if I was a Dog and I "Pooped" on the Carpet would that immediately mean I was not to be hired???...

[neXus @ Jul 26th 2006 6:53AM]

Wonder if it can identify the age and gender of a vacuum cleaner

[Sigma @ Jul 26th 2006 7:03AM]

What about the security applications... surely they would find some uses at Airports, banks and schools.

[Seth Brundle @ Jul 26th 2006 8:04AM]

I think a 'hiring manager' could probably determine someones sex, age, and weight with greater then 75% efficiency just by looking at them.

This is a great tool for the movie industry though - Im sure the studios would love to have instant demos opening weekends.

[Zaphod2016 @ Jul 26th 2006 8:12AM]

I must admit, this carpet has intrigued me. Does anyone know how it works? I can imagine how stride and speed might be used to determine age, and determining weight is pretty obvious, but gender? How does a carpet determine gender?

What if I walk backwards, slowly, wearing high heels? Does it assume I am an old woman, or just a lunatic?

[Darren Murph @ Jul 26th 2006 8:30AM]

Zaphod2016:

The gender issue had me puzzled too, but it works because men and women have very different centers of gravity, so the carpet can determine that and almost always know which gender is which.

[skooby @ Jul 26th 2006 9:29AM]

HAL 3000: I'm not going to allow that Dave.
Dave: HAL open the bomb bay doors.
HAL 3000: Not on your life FAT-ASS

[plasmatic @ Jul 26th 2006 11:05AM]

Imagine using this in stores to catch people who rob or shoplift. It would be great for getting a description on them.

[Ryan Worrell @ May 3rd 2007 7:57AM]

Imagine using this in stores to catch people who rob or shoplift. It would be great for getting a description on them.

Or track if someones wait changes from entering and exiting maybe? Gain a few pounds with all those closed stuffed in your Marshmellow Jacket. lol

[Sin_Chase @ Jul 26th 2006 11:57AM]

"Imagine using this in stores to catch people who rob or shoplift. It would be great for getting a description on them."

Or even tracking them without any kind of unit being on the person by monitoring thier walking pattern. I imagine it must be somewhat unique?

[David @ Jul 26th 2006 12:26PM]

Soon we'll see books on how to make a good impression on your prospective employer's flooring.

[Dan @ Jul 26th 2006 1:25PM]

Oh great, Japan invented a carpet that determines gender; it's only a matter of time before it can snap upskirt pics...

[Gio @ Jul 26th 2006 5:36PM]

So If I'm black and from da hood with a funky walk, I won't get the job?

[tehrob @ Jul 26th 2006 6:49PM]

can you imagine the boon for the carnie industry? The "guessers" will never be wrong again.

[x23 @ Jul 26th 2006 11:01PM]

finally a practical application of knowledge learned from The Ministry Of Silly Walks.