The once and future way to ‘Like’
26 January, 2012
category: NFC
LikeBelt from deeplocal on Vimeo.
And now for something completely different.
Pittsburgh-based design studio Deeplocal has developed an NFC-enabled belt that lets the wearer “like” things on Facebook much in the same way that a dog “likes” your leg.
No, this isn’t something out of The Onion. According to Wired, those who don the LikeBelt can interact with NFC chips in the real world by giving them a not-so-discreet hip thrust. The belt, which contains an NFC antenna in the buckle, reads the NFC tag and automatically connects to the wearer’s Facebook profile to “like” the corresponding item.
Deeplocal CEO Nathan Martin says the LikeBelt hearkens back to a simpler time when we showed our appreciation for things with “thumbs up, high fives, or humping” – not necessarily in that order.
Martin says the device could also be used in social venues like bars or in retail situations where vendors can keep tabs on their customers’ personal tastes.
Before your imagination runs wild with images of shoppers humping away at a pile of swearers at the Gap, bear in mind that the belt is just a prototype, and is intended more to inspire NFC developers than directly affect your shopping habits.
“Hopefully, Facebook looks at it as a fun opportunity,” Martin told Wired. “They should make their own physical LikeBelt.”
Read more here.