A Bra that Measures Mood? Microsoft Monitors Heart and Skin Activity with New Device

Could a bra help prevent stress-related over-eating?

Microsoft seems to think so. And to prove it, company researchers have designed a "smart bra" to do just that.

The way the tool works is that it detects stress levels by monitoring both heart and skin activity that helps provide an indication of mood levels.

BBC notes that what's referred to as mood data was provided through a smartphone application so that risks for emotional overeating could be noted and possibly prevented.

As habitual behaviors are extremely hard to break because they are repeatedly used and comforting, the team notes of their goal with the product: To promote healthier living conditions through emotion and eating smaller and more complex and healthier foods.

Before the creation of the product, the researchers completed three studies involving food, intervention and emotion detection.

They investigated eating behaviors and how coreresponding emotions can cause some to eat more or less. Particpants were also asked to self-report their emotions and log their eating patterns using a custom built application. 

The second study involved intervention methods to help prevent overeating and the third study was the first step to detect the emotions early that may cause overeating through the bra.

This technological device helps to measure women's electrocardiograms (EKG) near the heart by monitoring their emotions. The women who tested the device wore it for approximately six hours a day over four days.

"It was very tedious for particpants to wear our prototyped sensing system, as the boards had to be recharged every three to four hours," Microsoft senior research designer Asta Roseway said.

Researchers had also hoped to create a similar tool for men. However, the sensors for the product were located too far away from the heart. 

More information regarding the product can be found via the article "Food and Mood: Just in Time Support for Emotional Eating."