Hug Over a Distance, via your koala

Hugshirt on the fritz? Prefer koalas to chickens? There are now so many gadgets to enable remote hugging that we start to wonder about life above ground (we may have to break out the periscope here at the Engadget HQ underground bunker just to make sure people are actually still meeting face to face). We're not sure why he didn't just go all out and use a Teletubby like you know he wanted to, but Florian Muller has developed Hug Over a Distance that sends a hug signal to your partner(s) in distant lands when you rub this koala's belly. You partner dons a "normal-looking" (yeah, sure) vest whose small air compartments inflate upon receiving the love. We have nothing against spreading love here at Engadget, yet we still must ask, "but why?"

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

and I thought nitendo was keeping hush about its new controlers

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

I would buy anything from someone who wore such an awesome jacket.

Fishes,
narco.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

I'm just waiting for the inevitable "hugging" pants.

"Rub the koala" indeed.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

Mitch Headberg would have been proud...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

Is that your "Hug Over a Distance" hug jacket inflating or are you just happy to see me? Imagine if you put the hug jacket on the koala, then rubbed its stomach. The jacket would inflate and therefore cause more pressure on the stomach leading to more inflation, leading to more stomach pressure. Boom!!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

What happens if you HIT the Koala?
Does your "friend" feel that? Imagine that like you're wearin some jacket you got as a present from someone you thought didn't like you an then BOOM! You take one hard from left! BOOM! Took one from right! Now imagine seeing that on the street... You see this guy beeing beat up by... Air... well anyway if that doesn't work with this Koala, In the future I'll just make a little plush Mike Tyson you can punch... and your "friend" then has the jacket!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

..sort of voodoo magic of the 21st century

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

I'd much rather have that guy hug me. Anytime.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

Oh, I thought it was the latest from ScottEVest at first. Is that vest he's wearing bullet resistant?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 1:21AM]

Good tool for cyberse_