Let's Hug It Out, No?

In my previous article, I mentioned the Hug Shirt making Time's Best Inventions of 2006 list, but I think this baby deserves its own post. You can't put this item on your Christmas list this year; but with all the attention Cute Circuit's been getting lately, I'm hoping they'll speed up the production process on the shirt.

The idea behind the Hug Shirt is simple. A loved one sends you a text message that's translated by the shirt in the form of a hug. Your cell phone relays other information as well, such as your loved one's heartbeat, hug duration, pressure, and body temperature as if they were there giving you a hug themselves. No, the shirt is not magic, but it does have a lot of sensors and actuators "that recreate the sensation of touch, warmth and emotion of the hug", according to Cute Circuit. And, of course, the shirt is washable.

Imagine the possibilities for lovebirds who are separated by distance. Moms would be ordering them for their children away at college, and maybe a manly thermal version can be created for GI's who wouldn't mind a warm message from home. It's a nice concept, and one I hope to see in stores soon.

Check out these other hi-tech fashion posts:

Girls do it better at the Maker Faire
Wearing photo fashion
Top 10 iPod Wearables of 2006
What was your favorite Gadget in 2006?