Control Binge Eating Cravings With Microsoft Smart Bra, Probably The Best Way To Avoid Emotional Weight Gain, Depression And Anxiety?

Microsoft scientists have developed the prototype for a smart bra, sensor-equipped lingerie that measures mood swings in women and warns them against emotional eating.

The project was carried out in collaboration with the scientists and researchers from the University of Rochester and the University of Southampton.

The group at Microsoft wanted to develop a smart gadget form that would be comfortable when worn for long durations. The bra form factor was ideal because it allowed us to collect (electrocardiogram data) near the heart."

In the paper titled 'Food and Mood: Just-in-Time Support for Emotional Eating', published online by Rochester University, the researchers propositioned the development of 'a novel, wearable sensor system' that 'consisted of physiological sensors placed into women's brassieres.'

The sensors measured the heart rate to monitor emotional changes. The sensors are connected to a smartphone application that sent out warning against eating comfort food on the basis of signals received from the sensors. The app also suggests healthy food alternatives to satisfy emotions-induced cravings.

However effective the project may turn out to be, Microsoft has no plans to manufacture smart bras as a commercial product.

It was developed as part of broad research to devise a system of 'affective computing, or designing devices and services that are sensitive to people's moods and react accordingly,' said a Microsoft spokesperson in email correspondence to CNN.

Meanwhile, the Twitter reactions from women kept pouring all day and ranged from amusing to sarcastic. A very few of them were excited at the prospect of being able to keep off chocolate cookies and cupcakes.

The fact that the smart bra has to be removed and recharged every three to four hours was enough to put off the majority of females. A good number of both men and women speculated on what other things can be accomplished through the artificial intelligence based lingerie, if it were programmed to accept voice commands some day.

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