If you’re trying to shed a few pounds but are having a hell of a time with portion control, researchers at the University of Tokyo have created a clever augmented reality system for dieters. A head-mounted display makes it appear as if you’re eating larger portions, which helps fool your mind into thinking you’re full.

Custom image processing software allows the size of the food the wearer’s holding to be magnified without distorting the size or shape of their hand. And in tests involving 12 participants it was found that increasing the size of the food, even as little as 1.5X, resulted in about 10 per cent less being eaten. But when the food appeared to be two-thirds smaller, the amount eaten increased by a surprising 15 percent.

So if you’re battling the bulge all you need is a hula-hoop sized Oreo for breakfast and you should feel full the rest of the day. [DigInfo TV]