Amazon.com Inc. is developing a wearable device for the health and wellness market that can deduce the user’s emotional state, Bloomberg reported today.

The publication learned of the project from internal company documents and an anonymous source, presumably the same person who leaked the files.

Reportedly codenamed “Dylan” by Amazon personnel, the device is described as a collaboration between the Alexa software group and the online retail giant’s Lab126 hardware unit. The latter division created the Echo line of voice assistants, as well as other popular Amazon products such as the Kindle.

The new wearable is said to be voice-enabled as well. According to the report, the device is worn on the wrist, pairs with a smartphone app and can analyze the sound of users’ voices to discern their emotional state.

A 2017 Amazon patent filing uncovered by Bloomberg appears to shed more light on the gadget’s capabilities. It shows the company has developed technology for identifying specific emotions such as joy, sadness and stress based on the speech patterns of a person. Moreover, the leaked internal documents suggest the device could eventually apply the data it collects to “advise the wearer how to interact more effectively with others.”

It’s not clear exactly what purpose the product would serve. One possibility is that Amazon plans to pitch it to hospitals as a kind of patient monitoring tool, in which case the wearable may be intended to be used together with other sensors. The data it collects on a patient’s emotional state might, for instance, be integrated with information on their physical activity and vitals.

Amazon is actively working to drive the adoption of its voice technology in the healthcare sector. Last year, it was reported that the company had formed a health and wellness team inside the Alexa software group to focus on areas such as geriatric care. More recently, the company teamed up with six healthcare organizations to let patients access some of their medical data through the voice assistant.

Amazon is using Alexa to extend its reach into a growing number of new markets. Last August, the company released a software development kit that allows carmakers to integrate the voice assistant into their vehicles. Amazon is reportedly also working on an Alexa-powered domestic robot that can do chores around the house.

Photo: Amazon