Scientists have developed a very small, very thin sensor that measures goosebumps. Why, you ask, would anyone want to measure goosebumps? These researchers think it could offer a way to read people’s emotions.
That’s according to Time, which reports that the 20mm x 20mm wearable sensor was developed by scientists at South Korea’s KAIST. Neat trick, dudes, but they say it could be so, so much more. Because, while gooseflesh is generally just a sign you’re cold, it’s often linked to strong feelings:
The team believes they could provide insight into physical and emotional responses so that they can determine how people experience and react to the world around them. This could help lead the way to personalized music streams and advertising, the researchers suggest in a statement. “In the future, human emotions will be regarded like any typical biometric information, including body temperature or blood pressure,” study author Young-Ho Cho said.
There’s almost nothing I want less than yet another means of being targeted by advertisers. Amazon probably already has my menstrual cycle and poop shape in a database somewhere. Now they want to challenge my poker face, too? Unbelievable. Then again, researchers are being awfully optimistic.
However, I look forward to the day when the scariness of horror movies is rated on a literal goosebump scale.