If You’re “Liked” on Facebook You’ll get a Hug (video)

Every time you get a "like" on Facebook, you get a hug!

No, for real, you get a hug, that is if you're wearing the newest creation by designer, Melissa Kit Chow, Andy Payne and Phill Seaton from the MIT Media Lab.

I talked about this new invention on the radio show yesterday morning, "Andy In The Morning."

Melissa designed her "Like-A-Hug" vest that will inflate to simulate the feeling of a hug when you receive a “like” on Facebook.  I'm not kidding.

As a matter of fact, when a “like” or hug is received, the receiver can see who sent the hug on their phone and then hug the vest itself to send a hug back to the sender, who would be wearing the same type of vest.

Seriously though, Chow explains on her website the the Like-A-Hug is “an exercise and exploration in shape display.” She explains this concept addresses the pains of long-distance relationships and the limitations of video chat.

So I'm wondering how you feel about this.  Because, in reality, this is all just a project right now out of MIT, not likely to be on the market anytime soon.  However, wearable computers are absolutely becoming a reality. Google is planning to release its Google Glass glasses next year, which I blogged about earlier this year, and more and more smart watches, which integrate with smartphones, are coming out. No doubt there are going to be constant inventions that today might be considered "science fiction" but will most certainly become reality.

For us Facebook users, sometimes we just want to express our feelings by liking a person’s status, but the Like-A-Hug would put a definite feeling to that "like,"  without having to actually talk to them.  I mean, that can be awkward, and who needs that.

Remember a 90's classic bit from Jerry Seinfeld about connecting with people .  There certainly wasn't any Facebook then, but I think Jerry explains it the best though — sometimes you don't really want to talk to them when you call....you just want to leave a message, or, "hug."