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Your Facebook Likes Conveyed As Simulated Hugs

Posted by timothy on from the deep-pressure dept.

mikejuk writes "Next time you're dreaming up ways to make the users of your apps feel loved and wanted, think a little more wildly. How about giving them an actual hug? That's what MIT researchers Melissa Chow and her colleagues Andy Payne and Phil Seaton at MIT have come up with — a jacket that hugs the wearer when one of their friends 'likes' one of their posts on Facebook. The Like-A-Hug vest is described as receiving a signal when a Facebook friend 'likes' a post, then fills with air to give the wearer the sensation of being hugged."

23 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. Seriously what? by fisted · · Score: 1

    Can we have an equivalent jacket for Troll mods on /.?

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    1. Re:Seriously what? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      The ones with the big flappy arms and all the straps, right?

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      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    2. Re:Seriously what? by slashmydots · · Score: 1

      That or a dislike button on facebook that simulates punching you in the chest if your post is disliked, lol.

    3. Re:Seriously what? by davester666 · · Score: 1

      No, the jacket just inflates more, so your ribs break.

      No worries, because it only happens whenever you are unfriended.

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      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    4. Re:Seriously what? by sg_oneill · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure if giving 4chan the ability to finally beat people up physically over the internet is the wisest idea!

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      Excuse the Unicode crap in my posts. That's an apostrophe, and slashdot is busted.
  2. It this a conspiracy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    They (you know who) are subtly diluting the meaning of an "actual hug"! But for what end?

    1. Re:It this a conspiracy? by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Commoditization of all human affection! The incurably Single intend to devalue all of the In A Relationships and It's Complicateds!

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    2. Re:It this a conspiracy? by maxwell+demon · · Score: 1

      They are doing it? Well, then there's no danger. Now if THEY start doing it, then it's time to get frightened.

      --
      The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
  3. Silly Inadequate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Who would want such a vest? It just wouldn't feel the same. Human contact is great but it feels different depending on which human you are contacting. A vest isn't human at all, so it will feel like accidentally touching a stranger or something like that. It won't produce a nice warm and fuzzy feeling. I think these people at MIT need to get out more. They work like crazy over there.

    1. Re:Silly Inadequate by Guignol · · Score: 1

      I'm sure it will have an enormous success in the crazy suicide bombers groups.
      Now, you can blow up actually knowing that indeed your guru/master/whatever likes what you are doing, it's a total garantee to end up in paradise

  4. This is too nice. by Crasoose · · Score: 1

    When do we get a version that puts someone in discomfort at the level of getting your blood pressure level checked whenever they post something awful?

    1. Re:This is too nice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You find that uncomfortable? I quite enjoy it myself.

  5. Save Africa with your likes! by Tibixe · · Score: 1

    Can this double as a life jacket? If so, you could actually save some African orphans with your likes. At least the ones thrown overboard from pirate ships.

  6. DSOIP by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 1

    Still waiting for Dope Slap Over IP...

  7. What about dislikes? by SuperMooCow · · Score: 1

    They should add bare wires inside the jacket so that dislikes are conveyed as a very mild electric shock.

  8. Oh. a like jacket...For the internet Titanic by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    How about a dildo instead? Then you can feel the love every time you log into Facebook.

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  9. Re:Is there a smaller version? by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

    Well, there is the "Fleshlight" for folks like you...

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  10. Boa remote-kill by SuperMooCow · · Score: 1

    If you mass-hug someone, he/she will be crushed to death.

  11. No by Murdoch5 · · Score: 1

    That is so much BS, 3/4 of the status updates on Facebook aren't even things you would hug about in real life. The like button just tells the poster that you saw it and agreed,. thats it!

  12. Re:MIT has sunk to a new low. by PJ6 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That would be the surest way to kill creativity and enforce a timid mediocrity.

    Coming from MIT myself, troll, I can say that they would kick you out for your attitude.

  13. How many does it take? by AndyKron · · Score: 2

    A hugging jacket for Facebook likes? Get a fucking life! How many simultaneous hugs does it take to strangle someone?

  14. Re:Is there a smaller version? by maxwell+demon · · Score: 2

    So the corresponding Facebook-aware product would be a "Fleshlike"?

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    The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
  15. Anal Probe by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

    So the corresponding Facebook-aware product would be a "Fleshlike"?

    Considering many people's obsession with Facebook, an electronic device used for masturbation that was somehow connected to Facebook activity seems like a potential "killer app". I see millions in sales! And think of the advertising tie-ins...

    But, I think this device would probably take the form of some sort of anal probe.

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    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.