Like-A-Hug Facebook-Connected Vest Lets The Wearer Know They Are Liked


Only weirdos enjoy hugs in real life. These people, likely hopped up on some sort of drug or whatnot, actually enjoy the physical embrace of another human being. But that’s gross. The touching, the emotion, the germs. Traditional hugging is just ridiculous in the age of the Internet. It’s obsolete. For the rest of us there’s the Like-A-Hug wearable social media vest. For each “like” you receive on Facebook, this vest inflates a little big, giving the wearer a little squeeze of comfort.

Of course this thing isn’t real. Neither is my hatred of a sincere hug. As explained on the creator’s website, the Like-A-Hug is “an exercise and exploration in shape display.” Melissa Kit Chow of MIT explains this concept addresses the pains of long-distance relationships and the limitations of video chat. You know, like the LovePalz, but with less lube.

The Like-A-Hug makes it possible to share feelings, says the video demo before. And that’s true. If this thing were real, it would bring Internet interactions into real life. Perhaps sadly, thanks to the Internet, it’s now possible to express emotions in many different forms. Sometimes you just want to express your sentiment by liking a person’s status, rather than sitting on the phone with them and listening to their bad day. The Like-A-Hug would put a tangible feeling to your click. Jerry explains it the best though — sometimes you just want the machine.