This gaze-tracking garment is the freakiest smart clothing we've seen yet

Seriously just watch the video
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You're a woman and a man is staring at you in a creepy way. So, yes, sometimes you wish you had a pet tiger by your side ready to pounce. Or a deadly snake around your neck (both of which would explain all the staring).

Both those tactics are fairly impractical so instead we have this, Behnaz Farahi's Caress of the Gaze smart clothing project, which is impractical in all sorts of new, futuristic ways. It's part of the interaction designer's artist-in-residence program with Pier 9 and in collaboration with Autodesk.

Read this: The women in wearable tech 2015

The sci-fi top - top? - is constructed out of 3D printed spikes which are programmed to move in a life-like manner when the on-board camera, with a facial tracking algorithm, detects inappropriate ogling. It illustrates exactly where someone's eyes are locked, we assume to shame them. A connected crop top, then. A wearable bodyguard guaranteed to make the 'starer' at least 12.3 times more uncomfortable than he made you.

In effect, the garment looks like it's breathing and seething even, ready to pounce, like your tiger or snake sidekick would be. It's a similar take on personal space and human interactions to the various, fashion forward dresses we've seen from frequent Intel collaborator Anouk Wipprecht.

Both examples of crazy connected couture are unlikely to make their way from concept to high street any time soon but to some extent they do open up the debate on what our clothing is currently providing us (warmth, protection) and the potential for what it could provide in the future.

Via: Engadget


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Sophie was Wareable's associate editor. She joined the team from Stuff magazine where she was an in-house reviewer. For three and a half years, she tested every smartphone, tablet, and robot vacuum that mattered. 

A fan of thoughtful design, innovative apps, and that Spike Jonze film, she is currently wondering how many fitness tracker reviews it will take to get her fit. Current bet: 19.

Sophie has also written for a host of sites, including Metro, the Evening Standard, the Times, the Telegraph, Little White Lies, the Press Association and the Debrief.

She now works for Wired.


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