You know we are in the 21st century when you come across a gadget that claims to let you send actual kisses over the internet. Yes, forget those countless kissy face emojis you send to your crush, you can now literally send them an actual kiss using the Kissenger (remember Soulja Boy’s Kiss me thru the phone?).
Kissenger is a smartphone accessory that was designed by a startup known as Imagineering lab with the aim of making it easy for one to send a kiss to their loved ones. I refer to the Kissenger as an accessory because you plug it in on your smartphone through the headphone jack (sorry iPhone 7 users, no kisses for you) and it connects with an app that lets you send out those kisses.
According to the developers of Kissenger, it works by using high precision force sensors that are embedded under the silicon lip to measure the dynamic forces at different parts of your lips during a kiss. The device sends this data to your phone, which transmits it to your partner over the internet in real-time. Miniature linear actuators are used to reproduce these forces on your partner’s lips, creating a realistic kissing sensation. Kissenger provides a two-way interaction just like in a real kiss. You can also feel your partner’s kiss on your lips when they kiss you back.
I cannot attest to how well the Kissenger works, furthermore, it is only available for iOS at the moment. As mentioned earlier, the Kissenger is coupled with an app, which you can use to communicate with your friends and family just as you use any other messaging app. My thoughts are that the Kissenger is not future proof, as it uses the (almost extinct) headphone jack to connect to your phone. Maybe by the end of this year we will see a second prototype that will connect via USB-C.
What are your thoughts on the Kissenger? Would you buy such a device?
