A Vest to Hug You

Roland Piquepaille writes "In "New vest offers wearer a portable hug," the Boston Globe reports that engineers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst have designed a vest to help people suffering from autism or high anxiety. This inflatable vest has pockets that hold air bladders and is powered by 10 AA batteries. When you push a button, the vest squeezes — or hugs — you. Now the engineers also want to know if their vest is effective — apparently a premiere. So they're testing it with both students and psychatric patients. So far, it's just a prototype, but read more for additional details and a picture of this hugging vest."

For me at least...

[Anonymous Coward]

The meaning of a hug to me is comparative to a handshake, i.e. it is the thought behind the action that counts, not just an imitation of it. Now it is possible that a psychiatric patient might benefit from something like this, as I know some of them are extraordinarily desperate for any kind of perceived warmth and kindness, even if it is simulated.