My cell phone just makes phone calls”

This one goes under the category of what will they think of next?

Bored on phone? You may be a jerk.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing software for cell phones that would analyze speech patterns and voice tones to rate people — on a scale of 0 to 100 percent — on how engaged they are in a conversation.

Anmol Madan, who led the project while he pursued a master’s degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, sees the Jerk-O-Meter as a tool for improving relationships, not ending them. Or it might assist telephone sales and marketing efforts.

I haven’t even caught up with the camera functions on cell phones yet, and I can’t remember how to turn my cell phone on speaker, so this is just too much for me.

However on second thought, I do a lot of my coaching on the phone, and I’ve got to admit this ability to monitor conversation engagement intrigues me. I’ve always been aware of the limitations, such as not being able to read body language, and I do think I’ve trained myself to be a much better listener, however the more help the better.