Wearable anti-anxiety device strokes your arm with a furry pompom

A device that gently strokes the forearm with a patch of synthetic fur has been shown to reduce anxiety during stressful situations. The finding suggests that incorporating passive touch into wearable devices like smart watches could improve the mental well-being of users.

Previous research has shown that slow, gentle touch – called affective touch – is pleasurable. So, Yiran Zhao at Cornell University in New York and their colleagues wanted to see if a wearable gadget that uses affective touch could soothe anxiety during high-stress situations. …