Moscow-based company creates tracking system for people and cargo

The system is quite simple: a specialized paint, invisible to the human eye, is applied to employee clothing, equipment, cargo, or other objects. The paint is clearly visible to cameras, which can then track the movement of these markers and analyze the data.

Following media reports that sometimes labeled the development as a secret employee surveillance system, the company decided to provide more details. "Our system is not designed for total surveillance. It works by applying an invisible marker to an object—this could be construction equipment, warehouse boxes, logistics carts, or other items that need to be monitored to prevent loss or downtime," BPA explained. "When it comes to use on people, it is always about safety. The system helps detect if someone has fallen ill on the production floor, if a dangerous crowd has formed, or if an area is overcrowded and requires better space management. It is about timely response and accident prevention."

The company emphasizes that the decision to use invisible paint was made to avoid making people feel uncomfortable about wearing a marker. "People are aware of its presence, but the system does not collect or store personal data. Its purpose is process analytics and safety improvements in factories, transportation, and offices," the developers added.

The paint was developed specifically for this project; it is safe, durable, and can only be read by specialized cameras, the company assures. Essentially, the system is about tracking and analyzing logistics, not monitoring individuals. The latter can already be handled by long-standing access control systems using magnetic cards or biometrics, as well as standard video surveillance.

BPA Technologies is a Russian IT company, a resident of the Lomonosov cluster, and a member of the Moscow Innovation Cluster.