SoylentNews

takyon writes:

This device will literally tell you how much you stink

There's so much bad technology in the world that Japan even has a beautiful word for pointless gadgets: "chindogu." There's another splendid Japanese term, one that companies are apparently holding training sessions on how to combat: "sumeru harasumento," or in English, "smell harassment." To help keep offensively stinky people in check, Tanita is releasing a gizmo that figures out how bad your body odor is.

All you have to do with the Tanita ES-100 is turn it on, flip out the sensor and point it to a part of your body you're concerned is exuding too much musk. It measures particulate matter and after 10 seconds, will display how intense your odor is on a 0-10 scale (0, you don't smell; 10, you don't have friends). Level 5 and above means it's time for "smell care," though it might be more effective if it just told you to take a dang shower.

The stench scale goes both ways: if you've applied too much deodorant or cologne, the pocket-sized ES-100 will let you know if you should tone down the aftershave a little. The replaceable sensor is good for 2,000 uses, or about a year.

Original Submission