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Smile, or 'The Happiness Hat' Will Stab Your Head

by Caleb Johnson on October 31, 2009 at 02:01 PM

Some people just don't like to smile. Let's face it, not only does smiling make your day better, but everyone you encounter benefits from seeing those pearly whites, too. If for some reason you can't simply remember to smile, consider petitioning interactive artist Lauren McCarthy for use of her latest project -- The Happiness Hat. The hat, which looks like something our grandma knitted one Christmas, uses a sensor to measure the size of your smile. What happens if you're barely grinning, or worse, frowning? Well, the hat pokes the back of your head with a metal spike. Yes, a metal spike.

Yes, it's terrifying, but it's also science, folks. The hat will "train your brain to smile" (check out the video after the break). It's like Pavlov's dogs, except much more disturbing, and instead of dogs, the experiment uses humans. Apparently, it's also just one example of McCarthy's many interactive art projects. Call us old fashioned, but we prefer the kind of art you simply view -- like these sculptures -- instead of the kind that, well, causes bodily harm. [From: Lauren McCarthy, via Gizmodo]

Tags: art, hat, pain, project, science, smile, weird

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