Scented Clothing Can Improve Memory and Mood

June 24, 2011


Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. conceptualize (v.) [kuhn-sep-choo-uh-lahyz] – to make or form an idea
Example: Our team conceptualized the project after we finished the research.

2. give off (idiom) [giv] [awf, of] – to produce a certain smell
Example: Most flowers give off a pleasant smell.
   
3. fabric (n.) [fab-rik] – a material made from thread woven together; cloth
Example: The fabric used for her wedding gown is expensive.

4. sensor (n.) [sen-sawr, -ser] – a device that sends a signal
Example: The door in the laboratory opens when light hits the sensors attached to it.

5. deterioration (n.) [dih-teer-ee-uh-rey-shuhn] – the state in which something loses effectiveness or breaks down
Example: Old buildings suffer from deterioration because of poor maintenance.


Article
Read the text below.

A British researcher from Fashion and Textile Design at the University of the Arts in London has conceptualized  a kind of clothing that gives off scent .

Jenny Tillotson calls her idea the Smart Second Skin. Designed to have tubes wired throughout the whole fabric, the scented clothing can help people improve their mood, communicate with others and even avoid memory loss.

Using a built-in timer, people can set the time when they want the clothing to release a particular scent. For instance, it can give off the scent of coffee in the morning to boost one’s energy or the scent of flowers at night to calm one’s mind and body before sleeping.

It can also be connected to body sensors which can monitor heart rate and stress levels of a person. Once the sensors read that a person is stressed, the clothing will release a relaxing scent.

Aside from improving one’s mood, scent can also be a communication tool as seen in insect behavior. Through the scent coming from the clothing, people can talk, find or remember each other.

Since scent aids memory, the clothing can help prevent Alzheimer, a disease which makes older people lose memory. As people grow older, their sense of smell weakens along with the deterioration  of memory. The clothing can release familiar scents of people they know or places they love in order to sharpen their memory.

Tillotson got the inspiration for the idea when she worked with AIDS patients. She discovered that unpleasant hospital smell weakens patients, while pleasant smell improves recovery.



Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Do you think it’s possible to come up with such clothing as presented in the article? Why or why not?
·         Do you think that all science inventions are useful for people?

Discussion B

·         What are the limitations of technology?
·         How can scientists who invent technology benefit from nature?

June 24, 2011