PARI – your personal hug companion
This Stuffed Animal Lets You Share Hugs With Your Loved Ones
This teddy bear lets you hug anyone in the world from anywhere in the world
Posted by NowThis Future on Friday, 25 August 2017
This device is actually a very simple one. What you need is a vibration motor to provide feedback to the hugger, bluetooth/wifi chip to connect to the app and a pressure sensor to detect and transmit data of how much you squeeze your hug.
I am however not certain of how good the sensor is detecting heartbeats. On Purihug’s website, they mentioned this:
“If Charlie is also hugging me at the same time, Mom and Charlie will feel each other’s heartbeats over all of those miles! (I’m an expert at reading heartbeat data from fitbits and apple watches, but if you don’t have one or don’t want to share the data, I’ll just use some magic — and guessing.)”
It is quite vague but it seems like perhaps it will require the use of another wearable device to gather data on the other hugger’s heartbeat. Everything works and the two difficult things I feel, is the making of the app and how to keep every individual’s information confidential and safe. And second, the manufacturing of the soft toy (considering the material used, production, costs etc).
It is a fairly simple device and I strongly recommend to making of it. I am a strong advocate of making things that have a meaning apart from it being artistic or aesthetically pleasing. I feel that most things that exist around us should have a purpose no matter how small it is and what way it exhibits itself in.
Stay tuned for the upcoming series on Interactive Devices as Chuwypotter bring you the latest interactive happenings right at your fingertips!
#staylit