Every week I take a look at the strangest gadget from the past 7 days.
This week, I’m sensing that something’s not right…
“How Are You Feeling Today?”
Are you the empathetic type? Then you probably can do without the SHOJI (Symbiotic Hosting Online Jog Instrument), a mood-sensing invention from the University of Tokyo. The glowing pillar changes colour depending on the different ‘moods’ it senses throughout the room. It does this by measuring such variables as light, humidity, ultrasonic waves, even the activity and body temperature of those in the room. This is then relayed to the user via a system of LED lights – red for anger, blue for sadness, yellow for happiness and green for peace. The lights shift down the pillar as the mood changes so that the previous mood can be read as well as the current.
This all sounds fine and dandy, but with a whopping $3000 price-tag (about £2000), that’s a whole lot of cash to spend on what is a very unessential item. Also, chances are that if you are in the room yourself, your sophisticated human brain will be able to discern the mood anyway. Apparently Japanese managers are willing to pay for it, so they can monitor the mood levels in their offices. However, I doubt whether the mainstream public will be in the mood to follow suit.
GS Yuasa’s SHOJI is currently being road-tested in Japan to managers and hospitals. The product release is scheduled for April 2007 for $2000 – $3000.