devlog

virtual hug simulator

june 19 2020

I have the idea right as I wake up: virtual hug simulator.

I can remember especially good hugs. Close my eyes and call them forth from the archive. If I need a hug, and memory isn't cutting it, I might pull up a good hug from a favourite film or TV series.

Most of the virtual hug simulators I'm familiar with are either POV video where someone is hugging the camera (you), or a a hugging device like a jacket that squeezes you or a human-shaped cushion. They focus on the physical sensation of touch. Well, I'm not great with that kind of tech. I built a robot once, but that was grade nine, and there were instructions.

My skill is in writing. What if I created a hug simulator that described various types of embrace? The goal is not to recreate the physical sensation of a hug, or a real-time connection with another person. The goal, instead, is to tap into my memories and try to communicate them vividly through text.