World's top IT fair embraces 'cuddle jacket', hailed as world's first

HANOVER (AFP) - Everyone needs a hug now and then, but at the CeBIT, the world's top high-tech fair, even that can be created with technology as a Singapore-based firm unveiled its "cuddle jacket", hailed as a global first.

The normal-looking fleece-like item has small air bubbles that can be inflated to simulate the feeling of a cuddle, explained James Teh, founder of T-ware.

Controlled by smartphone, the type of "cuddle" can vary from light pressure on the shoulders to a full-blown bear hug.

But the jacket is not just a gadget. It has a practical application in helping children with learning disabilities, said Teh.