Disney Obtains a Patent to Start Tracking Theme Park Guests Through Their Feet
has obtained a new patent that seems to be creeping people out.
That's because it's for a system that would allow its amusement parks to start tracking visitors through their shoes, using a camera-wielding robot.
The idea is to get a sense of which rides are most popular and which routes are most commonly taken "from ride to ride," letting Disney create "a customized guest experience," according to the patent.
"The company can already track guests at Walt Disney World who use MagicBands, RFID bracelets that function as theme-park tickets, FastPasses, hotel keys and credit cards," reported The Orlando Sentinel.
See also: Disney CEO Bob Iger’s empire of tech
Disney says there aren’t yet any plans to roll out the robot in its parks. Spokeswoman Suzi Brown told The Los Angeles Times that "we file many patents annually - some come to fruition and others do not."
That hasn't stopped critics, though, from poking fun at the proposal and breaking out foot jokes.
The patent states "the robot may also include a movement mechanism allowing the robot to roam the amusement park or a portion thereof.”
Visitors would also be able to submit personal information to the bot, like their names, “favorite character, favorite food, hometown, and/or favorite ride,” it says.
Developers say they had previously considered other means of gathering data, "such as retinal and fingerprint identification methods," but they were found to be too invasive.
The company settled on shoes, it says, as opposed to accessories like hats and sunglasses, which guests could later easily remove.
See original article on Fortune.com
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