British Airways’ New Blankets Pick Up On and Display Your Anxiety

On British Airways flights this holiday weekend, the blankets will be behaving a bit oddly. As soon as the plane hits that patch of turbulence or a baby begins to cry, some of the normally blue blankets might change to an alarming shade of red. As CNN reports, British Airways is experimenting with what it calls the "happiness blanket," meant to visualize its customers levels of contentment.

As CNN describes, the blankets are a bit like "science-backed mood rings," displaying blue when a person is relaxed, red when she is tense. They're embedded with neurosensors interconnected with fiber optics. The airline says it hopes the blankets will give an honest read on its customer service and that it can use the feedback to better tailor services like meals and lights out time.

The blankets have already been used on a volunteer basis on a flight between London and New York City, CNN continues. For now, however, the blankets are in the data-gathering stage, CNN points out, which means flight attendants can't deviate from their normal routine and top up your white wine to change that red blanket into blue—at least not just yet.

Rachel Nuwer | | READ MORE

Rachel Nuwer is a freelance science writer based in Brooklyn.