As reported widely in the media recently, Microsoft is developing a ‘smart bra’ that will be able to detect women’s moods and combat overeating.
The word ‘smart’ has become one of the modern catchwords. We already have smart phones, smart watches, smart TV’s and smart cars. And now a smart bra?
Scientists from Microsoft, the University of Rochester, USA, and the University of Southampton, UK, began to investigate an intervention to support behavioural modification in emotional eating.
The general idea they came up with is to embed a ‘smart bra’ with physiological sensors monitoring a woman’s heartbeat and thus checking her emotional moods which can lead to combat overeating (as if only women were the ones overeating…). The information is then relayed as a warning to the woman’s smart phone and duly alerted she might not reach out for comfort food for example.
The scientists explained, “The design motivation for the bra sensing system was driven by a few key factors. First, we needed a form factor that would be comfortable when worn for long durations. We also needed a way to gather both EKG and EDA signals; so ideally, we wanted to collect those signals from the same wearable. The bra form-factor was ideal because it allowed us to collect EKG near the heart.”
Wouldn’t it be simpler for women who are prone to overeat to get a grip on themselves, learn to understand the underlying issues for binging and make a detour around the fridge? Wearing such a bra could make any woman feel like a ticking time bomb, shackled to her smart phone!
So, what are we waiting for next? How about scientists start developing a jockstrap for men, monitoring undesirable sexual behaviour? Best if they are female scientists though…
Comments are closed.