TOUCH Issue 8: Garments That Touch You
(over distance), essentially
augmenting the use of text, audio
or visual communication, which
aren’t typically as emotive as
touch.
On the other side of things, Durex®
has also jumped in on this vein of
product development and has
launched “fundawear”, which is
underwear that touches based
on a phone app that links you
to your partners undergarments!
There always has to be someone
that makes it sexual…
It might seem both useful and
a little creepy given the above
examples, but there are also
those who believe that this type of
technology could be used to help
people who are experiencing
certain psychological conditions.
We know that physical touch helps
to reduce anxiety, and there is
some preliminary evidence to
suggest that haptic garments can
illicit at least some of the emotional
and behavioural effects of human
touch. In the context of those
who have severe anxiety, haptic
garments could play a supportive
role in therapeutic intervention.
Regardless of where you fall on the
“cool” or “creepy” scale, if used
appropriately, this technology
could help to bring us closer
together when we’re further
apart.
The trick will be ensuring that we
don’t use garments to replace
real,
human
contact,
but
instead to augment, educate
on, and improve accessibility to
compassionate touch.
Drew.