Philips Emotions Jacket lets audiences feel what actors emote

Juniper Foo | Oct 20, 2009

(Credit: Philips)

Is there such a thing as too much realism in our movies? If frights could kill, Stephen King horror flick Carrie did just that when it claimed its victim of terror at a Singapore screening. Then there was that little episode during the action thriller The Negotiator when someone in the audience had an epileptic fit, most likely brought on by the show. Fortunately, a doctor was on hand to help. So it won't be too much of a surprise that Philips' Emotions Jacket could fall under the same warning as smoking. That is, this could be hazardous to your health. Wear at your own risk.

Still, the idea that one could delve even further into immersive movie-watching, besides 3D technology, is probably exciting news all around. The Emotions Jacket can let you feel what the actors onscreen are emoting, thanks to actuators in the clothing that stimulate the skin and trigger sensations such as creepy spider feet down your back in Arachnophobia or pleasurable caresses during a love scene in Titanic. Talk about a sensory high that could get addictive for some people.