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Wearable computing and the Hug Shirt

Our cellphones, earphones, bluetooth headsets, iPods and many other gadgets are perpetual extensions of ourselves. The amount of anxiety involved in being away from one’s phone is described a intense (I’ve experienced this and I can attest to it.) In fact, according to most studies we would much rather lose our wallets, than lose our phones. So, I find clothing designed with technology built in, a natural part of the evolution.

This company is working on some really interesting projects one of which is the “Hug Shirt.” According to the site, “The Hug Shirt is a shirt that makes people send hugs over distance! Embedded in the shirt there are sensors that feel the strength of the touch, the skin warmth and the heartbeat rate of the sender and actuators that recreate the sensation of touch, warmth and emotion of the hug to the shirt of the distant loved one.” We are so focused delivering visual and auditory experiences, that I feel sometimes we limit ourselves.

http://www.cutecircuit.com/products/thehugshirt/

By Gülay Birand
Published: October 24, 2009
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