You are probably familiar with the tele-marketing phenomenon: People calling you to sell you some product, just when you’re about to have dinner. Of course, you are much to nice to verbally express the intense anger you’re feeling. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a tool that may help you to express yourself without yelling.

The tool in question is called AffectPhone, and, as seen in the image above, consists of two sensors that measure the electrical resistance of the skin in the fingers (Galvanic Skin Response) and a peltier module that can be heated or cooled.

The GSR sensors are used to measure the emotional arousal of a person holding the handset and sends that information to the phone of the person on the other side of the line.  Depending on how emotionally aroused you are, the peltier module of the phone of your conversation partner will heat up or cool down in order to communicate your emotional arousal.

Unfortunately, since only arousal is communicated, that pesky telemarketer may still think you are just extremely exited about the fantastic offer, instead of furious about the rude intrusion.

(Rekimoto Lab via Gizmodo)

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