What is a Sociometer?

A digital device that detects the signs of charisma and measures them in action, the sociometer is about the size of an iPhone. The wearable gadget is equipped with an infrared sensor and a tiny microphone. It tracks patterns of speech and body movement. The sociometer does not, however, record speech. It was created by computer scientist Alex Pentland and his group at the MIT Human Dynamics Laboratory. They found that people who use expressions and gestures that researchers link to charisma are more likely to be successful in striking new deals and negotiations.