Now, send a long-distance kiss with 'kissinger'

If you"re missing your partner and fancy a smooch , a new messaging device can help you fulfil your wish.

The device dubbed Kissenger and unveiled at the Designing Interactive Systems conference in Newcastle, UK, in June, lets users send kisses wirelessly to one another. Developed by Singapore-based Lovotics, Kissenger comprises a pair of pressure-sensitive soft plastic lips, which protrude through a smooth plastic casing the size of a large Easter egg.
The lips contain pressure sensors and actuators. When you kiss them, the shape changes you create are transmitted in real time over the net to a receiving Kissenger.
There, the actuators reproduce the mirror image of the pressure patterns you created- magically transmitting your smacker to your partner.
"People have found it a very positive way to improve intimacy in communications with their partners when they are apart," New Scientist quoted Hooman Samani of Lovotics, as saying.
The device is a prototype and Samani said it would not be commercialised until "all the ethical and technical considerations are covered".

Also he has pointed that he’s not interested in sexual uses for it.

Sports drinks do not boost energy, can cause obesity

You might want to throw out your stock of sports drinks after reading this.

According to researchers from Oxford University, claims of sports drinks to boost energy not only lack evidence, but high intake of these drinks can also cause weight gain.
The study published in the British Medical Journal assessed the evidence behind 431 performance enhancing claims in adverts for 104 different sports products including sports drinks, protein shakes and trainers. In case where evidence from adverts was not clear, researchers asked for information from various manufacturers. It found only 2.7% of the information supplied to be of high quality and at low risk of bias.
"This absence of high quality evidence is worrying," researchers said.
Also, no substantial evidence was found to suggest that liquid is any better than solid carbohydrate intake.
"As sports drinks rise in popularity among children, there is concern their consumption is contributing to obesity levels," researchers said.
"Far from sports drinks turning casual runners into Olympic athletes, if they avoided the sports drink they would get thinner and run faster," Professor Tim Noakes, Discovery health chair of exercise and sports science at Cape Town University said.
"No one single food or drink alone is responsible for people being overweight or obese. All foods and soft drinks can have a place in a sensible, balanced diet, as long as over time you do not take in more calories than you burn," a soft drink company said.

Hug machine proves to be huge hit in Singapore

The innovative Coca-Cola vending machine that dispenses free cans when people hug it, has become immensely popular in Singapore.

The drinks giant's famous logo has been replaced with the simple message: "Hug Me."

The odd Singapore stunt is a part of the company's 'Open Happiness' campaign, which is designed to encourage displays of affection in a country where hugs and kisses in public have long been discouraged.

"Happiness is contagious. The Coca Cola Hug Machine is a simple idea to spread some happiness," the Sun quoted Leonardo O'Grady, Coke's Asia Pacific director, as saying.

"Our strategy is to deliver doses of happiness in an unexpected, innovative way to engage not only the people present, but the audience at large," he said.

The machine has been so popular that the company now planned to roll them out across Asia.

"The reaction was amazing - at one point we had four to five people hugging the machine at the same time as well as each other! In fact, there was a long line of people looking to give hugs," O'Grady added.