Little things can have a significant effect on our lives. Take the fact that human touch is really good for us.

Neuroscientists have proven that little incidental touches are vital for happiness and wellbeing to humans. Did you know that holding hands can decrease symptoms of depression? That a cuddle can help a premature baby gain weight? Or that a little pat on the back from a teacher can double a student’s confidence to speak up in class? 

Being the curious bunch we are, we stumbled on to these findings recently and we were astonished how something so simple, and something we can all have access to, can make such a difference. We were even more surprised to discover that ethnologists recently found out that us Brits touch each other the least out of any other country in the world. Which means here in the UK, we're the most touch deprived. 

So we decided to make an interface to try and change that, through the simple act of holding hands. 

The really great thing about holding hands is that it’s one of the most effective ways to release the happiness neurochemical oxytocin into the body.

Using a simple Makey Makey, a team of W+Kers including Luke Tipping, Joseph Haigh and Daniel Smith built a giant conductive controller that only works when users hold hands with a playing partner. With this experiment, it really does take two to play the game.

We hooked the In Your Hands controller up to a game and debuted the project at the Wired 2014 Next Generation event in London last weekend, alongside projects from Google and MIT. Next Generation aims to excite and inspire curiosity in 12-18 year olds with talks, workshops and interactive exhibits themed around technology and creativity. 

The results of our In Your Hands exhibit were fascinating, with Wired guests queueing up to take a spin on the controller and getting competitive in trying to smash their previous high scores. The best thing about the day was feeling a buzz in the atmosphere, thanks to all the oxytocin flowing through players' systems, as well as a constant flow of high fives. Great stuff. 

Get a glimpse of the day here:

Thanks to Wired for having us, and to all the W+K guinea pigs we tested the controller on. 

Today we celebrate the victors. W+K Creative Director Carlos and his rotation of multiple teammates are basking in the glory of last night’s agency ping pong tournament win. It’s finally beginning to sink in that they hold the crown as W+K's top table tennis doubles team. Competition was tough, stakes were high, tears of joy and heartbreak were shed. Mostly all by Tony D. 

The championship served not only as a month of nail-biting agency drama with its own internal promotion campaign (natch) but it also acted as a fundraiser for fellow creative Ben Shaffery’s upcoming trip to Malawi for TIE. We’re sending him there to work as a creative in a charity which helps improve farming practices in Lilongwe. 

At last night's much awaited finals, W+Ker Danni Mohammed made us some fancy, tea-based cocktails from her Loose Lips Tea company and there were hot dogs on sale too – all in the name of 'charidee'. A good time was had by all.

As we stow away the ping pongs and nets for a while, Carlos and co await their bespoke printed table tennis bat trophies. For the rest of us it's business as usual, until the rematch…