Wearing a Book

You could read a book, but now scientists at MIT are experimenting with wearable books that will allow you to feel the emotions that the characters in the book feel.  The project which they call “Sensory Fiction” involves wearing a vest that is hooked up to the prototype book. The sensors use the events in the story to produce physical sensations for the reader wearing this vest.

For instance as the plot develops and the main character is feeling scared the pressure bags in the vest will fill up with air and constrict the chest of the reader. This will make the reader feel like how the character is supposed to be feeling. The project is naturally in a very experimental stage with only one working model.

So its going to be a while before you can pick up a book and a vest from your local book store that will allow you to experience all the sensory experiences that the characters in the story go through. It is going to be difficult to set all human emotions experienced in a vest, and the scientists will probably have to limit themselves to a few motions. Whatever it may translate into, it was an interesting science project.