Missing a loved one when living abroad as an expatriate is one of the biggest sources of expatriate malaise. Sure, there are various methods of communication, such as free video calling and social networking, but nothing can replace that cherished goodnight kiss.
Well new technology emanating from Japan may have a found a solution- a device that allows you to ‘kiss’ someone through a computer.
Scientists at the University of Electro-Communications in Chofu, Japan, have created a ‘kiss transmission’ device that they claim can send the physical sensation of being kissed over the internet.
The device is made up of a plastic tongue that is hooked up to a machine. One kisser then moves his tongue over the plastic which transmits the movements over the internet to the recipient, whose own ‘tongue’ will then replicate the movements, wiggling ferociously.
Apart from connecting loved ones, the creators of the contraption believe that more commercial opportunities could also arise: “If you have a popular entertainer use this device and record it, that could be hugely popular if you offer it to fans,” said Nobuhiro Takahashi, one of the researchers involved with the project.