Can Intimacies in Cities become Smarter?
“Reproduction is the sole goal for which human beings are designed; everything else is a means to that end: Human beings inherit tendencies to survive, to eat, to think, to speak, and so on: But above all they inherit a tendency to reproduce” — The Red Queen, Matt Ridley
Sex. As taboo as it is in many cultures and celebrated in others, it is core to us as human beings. And when cities are home to billions of humans around the world, it’s no wonder that sex in cities is a thing. Parks, car parks, rooftops.
Inspired by Clifford Nass, a renowned authority in Human-Computer Interaction, he showed us how technology supports human-to-human relations. Sex and technology (aka Sex Tech) is not a new industry; with products and services such as virtual reality porn and teledildonics transporting intimacy between lovers miles apart.
Culturally we can also see how cities support sex in non-smart ways. Japanese Love Hotels and American short-stay motels provide convenient and quick safe spaces for humans to be close. So, when sex is “the sole goal for which human beings are designed”, why not turn to the challenge of creating a Smart City to support our core human instincts?
The Challenges.
Locked gates; tall fences; uncomfortable benches; and snooty dogs. I digress. But we know sex happens publically in cities; legally or illegally. So, how can we make this matter smarter and safer?
One problem is ‘smart technology’ in its design. ‘Smart’ by definition is using sensors, databases, and wireless access to collaboratively sense, adapt, and provide for users within the environment. What data could we collect in this context? What data could we ethically collect in this context?
Also, part of the excitement is that it’s your little secret. So, knowing that public areas collect information and contain sensors designed for this purpose in mind, takes that secrecy away. Plus this information is more than sensitive. The last thing anyone wants is feedback from something like a park bench on how you did in your last sexual encounter.
The Opportunities.
One opportunity which presents itself is to keep people as safe as possible in this situation, which could be tackled in numerous ways. For example, collecting crime statistics for parks and showing users which parks have the lowest crime rates and are arguably the most safe in the area.
Another opportunity is through sensors or crowd counting to highlight where the quiet areas are. Just because it happens in public, doesn’t mean everyone else wants to see it. So, just like busy restaurants why not show where the quiet areas are in parks, and possibly the most secluded. Sensors such as light sensors or those which measure fence height and seclusion in an area could help in suggesting the best park places to get it on.
To Finish…
And don’t worry, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (UK) says a person only commits an offence if they intentionally expose their genitals and intend that someone will see them and be caused alarm or distress. Just pick a secluded location and get consent. You’ll be fine.
This post is part of a university project. Feel free to check out my personal blog, discussing UX design and research!
