Virtually-augmented cookies help dieters fill their stomachs faster.
How can we help overweight people eat less? Convince them they’re eating more than they really are. At the University of Tokyo, augmented reality glasses have convinced test subjects the snack they were eating was 50% larger than it really was, helping them eat ten percent less than usual. The effect is reversible for those who need to gain weight; making food look smaller made subjects eat more.
Not only can these glasses alter the size of food, but they can also make it look tastier. A plain biscut made to look like a cookie, aided by cookie scents, fooled subjects into thinking they were eating a cookie.
Pure speculation here, but the same technology could help cut down on the physical objects a person needs. Hate e-readers? Just program your virtual reality glasses to display a different book in the one book you own. Want your room to have more color? Just change a few settings and poof! redecorated. The future sounds so easy!
