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Low Latency Anonymous Peer to Peer Tactile Communications (working title - draft)

The Kissing Booth was a controversial project for a number of reasons and the project worked on many levels.

A Typical Scenario
The user enters the booth and inserts a dollar bill in to a bill changer. The kisser (a person whose identity is hidden and never to be revealed) receives the payment and slides a packaged dental dam (a super thin sterile sheet of mildly flavored latex) through a slot in the booth. The user unwraps the dam and seals it in place over an opening covered a visual/physical barrier of black latex. The user draws the curtain closed and makes out with the kisser through the layers of latex.

The resulting experience is a bit strange, but physically totally safe. A total of three layers of latex are present so nothing but touch can be passed between the two people.

Communication takes place in real time through touch, the kisser does not speak and is never seen. This parallels the anonymous communication that occurs in public chat rooms. A chat room user rarely verifies who they are chatting with... sex, race, age, religion, etc. can remain anonymous. The experience can be either scary or exciting...

Response
Some people were excited by the opportunity to kiss a total stranger, some were put off by not knowing if it was a man or woman on the other side. My argument was, “you’ll never know either way so what’s the difference?” To which I never received a good response. Over 150 people tried the booth over the course of two shows and every single one of them left the booth giggling. About another 150 scoffed and walked away.

Conclusions
On the highest level this project forces people to confront their prejudices towards others. I’m not inferring that the prejudices are good or bad, but I think it’s important to be aware of them. Many of the users (and observers) approached me weeks later and told me that they were still talking about it with their friends. For me that was a greatest compliment.

The Kissing Booth Poster

Physical Computing Journal entries including photographs and sketches of the Kissing Booth.