Having Mastered the Operating System, Microsoft Shifts its Focus to Bras

Ahh, where to begin? As I’m sure most are well-aware, although Microsoft has a major focus on software and game consoles, it has its hands in many other things, including interesting R&D projects. Some have even resulted in patents, such as the one that would allow a user to smack their smartphone to stop it from ringing (that’d be a great thing to see in a checkout line).

The Redmond firm’s latest pet project might take the cake for being the most unexpected, but its intentions are good. Because stress can lead to overeating, this tech comes in the form of sensors that either adhere to a bra, or come built-in. With these sensors, women can keep track of their stress-level (via mobile app, of course) and take measures to reduce it before it leads them on the unhealthy path of overindulging on food.

The reason a bra is chosen is because it’s form-fitting, and because it’s close to the heart. We’d imagine an alternative would be a tight-fitting under-shirt, although that might be less convenient (and perhaps less comfortable).

While women are typically more at risk for overeating due to stress over men, Microsoft has also researched a solution for the guys, and in fact tested the same solution with underwear. Unfortunately, that puts the sensors a little too far from the heart to prove useful, which again suggests an under-shirt would be the de facto choice as a reliable solution for both sexes.

What will Microsoft think up next?