Computing your mood —
New tech that senses how you're feeling inside: is it the key to self-knowledge and the future of communication? Or just the return of the phony "mood ring"? Check out our gallery of the top mood-sensing technology in development.
Computing your mood —
Sensoree have coined a new word to explain why they invented the "Mood Sweater." It's all about extimacy -- that's "externalized intimacy," apparently. Two sensors on the wearer's palms measure changes in electrical conductance, and a light collar glows in different hues to communicate their emotional state. Sensoree sound pretty confident in their design: the sweater even "replaces speaking," they say, "as the wearer's truths are instantly expressed with color." Pre-order it now and you'll never have to speak again!
Computing your mood —
This concept dress called Bubelle by Philip's Design interacts with and predicts the wearer's emotional state by changing colors. A beautiful white can turn into a relaxed blue. Philip's dresses are made from high-tech materials and are still in the concept phase.
Computing your mood —
Dutch design collective Studio Roosegaarde have developed a sensual dress called Intimacy 2.0 together with designer Anouk Wipprecht. Made of leather and smart e-foils, it 'explores the relationship between technology and intimacy'. The high-tech panels are stimulated by the heartbeat of the wearer. Initially opaque or white, they become increasingly transparent when exposed to an electric current -- in this case a beating heart.
Computing your mood —
Ever wonder if someone is flirting with you? With the Blinklifier you wont. The device -- created by designers Tricia Flanagan and Katia Vega -- monitors eye muscle contractions using fake eyelashes. It sends these signals to an array of lights housed in a piece of headwear (via lines of conductive eyeliner) and can turn every wink or batted eyelash into an elaborate light-show. Or make you look like an illuminated Christmas tree...
Computing your mood —
The world was amazed and offended (and slightly creeped-out) when Microsoft announced a bra that tracks a woman's emotional state to combat overeating. The smart bra sends a signal to the wearer's smartphone when it identifies a trigger for binge eating, such as discomfort or stress. Microsoft say it wont be coming out any time soon.
Computing your mood —
Feeling healthy? Have a tattoo tell you whether it's all going well on the inside. That is the idea behind UC San Diego's Biosensor Tattoo: the tiny temporary tattoo monitors the pH levels and lactate content in a wearer's sweat to assess the metabolic health of a patient. It's supposed to help athletes know if they're overdoing it, and whether their stamina is improving with exercise. But will it come in sailing anchor and "I (heart) mum" versions?
Computing your mood —
Developers Phyode say the W/Me wristband is a "revolutionary product" which uses a "Life Spectrum Analyzer" to detect your body's "harmonic frequency." Err, what? In short, it measures signals from the part of your nervous system that controls heart rate and pupil dilation (among other things) to tell you if your body is showing signs of excitable, passive, anxious or pessimistic thoughts. It smashed its $100,000 Kickstarter target last summer, and is now on sale to the public for $170.
Computing your mood —
Potentially, your mood could even be used to create something on the fly...like a delicious personalized drink! The DareDroid is a concept biomechanic cocktail making dress that uses medical technology, customized hardware and human temperament to create a freshly made cocktail. The human host and robotic dress work together to provide you with a cocktail in exchange for a game of "Truth or Dare".
Computing your mood —
All these intrusive sensors creeping you out? Affdex, from Affectiva, claims to be able to tell how you're feeling just by looking at you. Drawing on a database of over a billion facial expressions, it uses cameras paired with complex algorithms to recognize basic emotions on people's faces. It's now being used to tell big businesses like Pepsi if you're turning your nose up at their latest campaign.
Computing your mood —
Having an extra way to understand others' emotions -- or even your own -- can enhance comprehension levels for everyone, but especially for people with autism spectrum disorder. Emotient's Facet software includes games that monitor the user's reactions and "can help children with autism recognize other people's emotions through facial expressions as well as express their own feelings," says Marian Bartlett, lead scientist at Emotient.
Computing your mood —
The goal for many developers is to make tech as "empathetic" as another human being. The AutoEmotive initiative at MIT's Media Lab aims to prevent accidents with a multi-sensor-equipped Audi. The car's cameras and electrical sensors would watch for stress, distraction or tiredness and adjust lighting, music and even the car's color to increase the driver's awareness.
