It could be the perfect solution for those whose home lives are in tatters thanks to long commutes and longer office hours: A gadget that lets you pat the dog, squeeze your partner and hug the children, without the inconvenience of having to be there.
The invention was developed by researchers who believe the pace of modern life has dramatically cut the time we spend showing affection to family members, including pets. Simply slip your significant others into specially designed jackets and you will be able to pat, stroke or hug them from anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection.
Unveiled
The jacket was revealed yesterday at the CHI2006 technology conference in Montreal, an international gathering of experts working to push the boundaries of computer and Internet-enabled devices. It comes with a doll which, when touched, records the exact sensation and beams it wirelessly to the Internet and on to the jacket, which moves to mirror the feeling.
Adrian Cheok, of the mixed reality lab at the National University of Singapore, said: "You can be in meetings all day unable to talk to your partner if they call because everyone will overhear you. But if you both had this system on, you could give each other a little hug to say, `I know you're busy, but I'm thinking of you.'"
Trials were conducted with bespoke jackets tailored for chickens, a common household pet in Asia.
The chickens were dressed in jackets and allowed to roam between two hutches, one of which let them pick up signals making them feel as if they were being stroked. In 200 trials over 28 days, the chickens picked the Internet-linked hutch 72 percent of the time.
`Internet pyjamas'
By the end of the year, the researchers plan to release a jacket for babies. The "Internet pyjamas" will allow them to feel a realistic hugging sensation.
Further trials on pets are proceeding cautiously, as some animals appear to be more amenable than others.
"Chickens like any kind of contact, but with dogs, we are trying to develop ways for them to see and hear their owner, as well as have the sensation of being stroked. For cats, it's a different story. They don't seem to like being touched at all," said Cheok.
Paula Hall, a relationship counselor, said it might not only be pets unconvinced by the idea: "Affection-starved partners might be left wanting a little more. Hugs and physical contact are essential for relationships, but where is the intimacy, the eye contact? And if you lent your jacket to someone else, would your partner be having an affair?"
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