Microsoft developed smart bra

 (CNN) - It's no longer enough to have smartphones, smartwatches, smart TVs and
smart cars. Now a tech company is bringing
artificial intelligence to lingerie. Researchers at Microsoft have developed a
prototype of a "smart bra" embedded with
physiological sensors that seek to monitor a
woman's heart activity to track her emotional
moods and combat overeating. The sensors can
signal the wearer's smartphone, which then flash a warning message to help her step away from the
fridge and make better diet decisions. The company says it has no plans to make the
bra into a commercial product, however. So -- why a bra, exactly? "First, we needed a form factor that would be
comfortable when worn for long durations," said
scientists in a research paper published online. "The bra form factor was ideal because it allowed
us to collect (electrocardiogram data) near the
heart." Research has shown that many people reach for
calorie-rich foods like doughnuts when they're
feeling stressed, bored, discouraged or on edge.
There's a reason it's called comfort food. For the research paper, scientists from Microsoft,
the University of Rochester and the University of
Southampton in the UK interviewed women who
said that interventions -- being alerted to their
emotional states -- helped them identify triggers
for binge eating. Bionic fashion: Wearable tech will turn man into
machine by 2015 The researchers then conducted a study in which
four women wore the sensors in their bras for four
days to monitor their vital signs. An
electrocardiogram (EKG) sensor under the arm
measured their heart rate, while an electrodermal
activity (EDA) sensor tracked their perspiration. The researchers determined the bra was mostly
effective in detecting its wearer's emotional
changes. But the sensors needed to be recharged
every three to four hours, which limited how long
the bra could be worn. And more research would
be needed before a smart brassiere -- Microsoft's Secret, anyone? -- ever became a viable product. A Microsoft spokesperson downplayed the bra's
significance in an e-mail to CNN. "The bra sensing system is just one instance of a
class of work from a group of Microsoft
researchers that is focused on the broader topic of
affective computing, or designing devices and
services that are sensitive to people's moods and
react accordingly," the spokesperson said. "While we will continue our research in affective
computing, Microsoft has no plans to develop a
bra with sensors." What about a similar undergarment for men?
Researchers didn't rule it out. "We will continue to explore how to build a robust,
real-world system that stands up to everyday
challenges with regards to battery life,
comfortability, and being suitable for both men and
women," the researchers said in the paper. Reaction to the bra on Twitter ranged from
amusement to annoyance. "Anyone else offended that Microsoft is devoting
its tech research to a bra designed to prevent
women from overeating?" tweeted a Seattle
woman whose Twitter handle is @cunningminx. Added Rachel Happe of Boston, "If nothing else convinces you we need more women in tech, this
should. No, I don't want someone hacking my