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o CvberSex Visions ouhavetakenatripthroughtheworldofon-boardsexchatand imagery.YouhaveseenhoweroticaisheatingupdisksandCD- ROMS,lettingyoucontroltheactionandmeetpeopleofyour fantasies. Butwhatofthefuture?Howwillweexerciseoureroticurgesinthe year2000,or2010?WillwespendSaturdaynightsprowlingthrough cyberspaceinvirtualbodieslookingfortheperfectmates?Willwestretch outonacouchandplugintoamoresolitaryvisittofantasiesondisk? Inthissectionwewilllookattheemergingtechnologiesbehindvirtual realityandvirtualsex.Wewilllookatthemagazinesthatarecovering cybersexandviewthephenomenonthroughtheeyesofthewriters, teachers,scientists,programmers,andmovieproducerswhoareusing newtechnologiestoexpandthehorizonsofthesexualexperience.Inthis realmofcybersexualpossibilities,wearedealingwithspeculationand imaginativeflightsoffancy.Androidscavortandmergeinabrilliantly huedvirtualspace.Partnerssuitupinhelmets,gloves,andjockstraps withridiculouslyproportionedappendagestogiveandtaketheultimate thrill.Areanyofthesevisionsreal,orshouldwesay"virtual?"Inthe worldofvirtualsex,anythinggoesandeverythingwillcome. 236 <Sfo-y The Essence ofVirtual Sex andVirtual Reality Whatisvirtualsex?Sexinvirtualreality,naturally. Okay,sowhatisvirtualreality?Itisthecreationofnewuniversesfrom computergraphicsandsounds;worldswhereyoucanbeanddowhat- everyouwant.Virtualreality,orVR,promisestomakeyourfantasies real.ItisattractingattentionfromNASAscientistsandarcadegame players,fromTimothyLearyandStephenKing,andfrompornographers andmechanicalengineers.Somethinkitwillchangetheworld;others tnhatiunrkalitnisexatnsetxeeprcaifsteeriBnBhSypaen.dACtDt-heROleMasts,exi.t'saverysexysubjectandthe Let'stakealookatthetechnicaldetailsofthemachinesbehindthe virtualrealityandhowtheywork.Mostcomputershavechipmemory anddiskmemorytorunprogramsandtostoretheresults.Chipmemory ismuchmoreexpensiveandfasterthandiskmemory,somostcomputers hmauvcehlecshsicphmipemmoermyo—ryretfherarnedditsokimnepmeorrsyon.alOfctoemnputtheeyrsdoans'RtAhMav—eaassthe computerownerswouldlike.So,clevercomputerdesignershavefounda waytomakepartofthelarger,cheaperdiskmemorypretendtobechip memory.Thediskmemorydoesn'tworkasfastaschipmemory,butit givesprogramslotsmorespacetostretchoutandrunin.Such"disk pretendingtobechip"memoryiscalled"virtualmemory."Itreally works;itjustisn'twhatitpretendstobe. Virtualrealityfakesreality.Itdoesthisbyhavingthecomputerpresent youwithanimageofadifferentworld,andthenbylettingyouinteract withthatimage.Itisalsosometimesreferredtoasartificialrealityor syntheticreality.Itdescendedfromstorytelling,fantasy,andlater,wind tunnels,flightsimulators,andcomputermodels.Itisnowbeingvisual- izedastheplacetowhichmanyofusmaysoonbesneakingofftolook foroursexualthrills.Nomorevisitstored-lightdistricts,peepshows, andmassageparlors.Whenthepartnerofyourdreamscanbecalledup foryouwiththeflickofabutton,whynotjustdonyourcybersex apparel,layback,andbecomeahotcouchpotato?Inreality,thislovefest nex 237 isyearsaway,butbecauseallrealityisvirtualrealityhere,let'sdosome fantasizingandtakealookattheseedsofthisfuturefunandbusiness. SuitingUp fora Night ontheTown Dressingforsuccessinaworldofvirtualreality(courtesyofAP WorldWidePhotos,Inc.). So,youwanttohaveaflingincyberspace?Beforeyoudo,youwillhave tomakesureyouaredressedproperly.Whethertoundressornotisupto you. Thetypicalwaytoexperiencevirtualrealitytodayrequiresacomputer, goggles,andgloves.Nowthesearen'tjustanygogglesandgloves.The gogglescontaintwotinyTVscreens,oneforeacheye.Oftenthey'llbe partofa"Head-MountedDisplay,"orHMD,thatalsocontainshead- phones:apairofspeakers,oneforeachear.Lensesinthehelmetcanbe 238 adjustedtoimprovevision,althoughthoseofuswhowearglassesinstead ofcontactsarestillatadisadvantage.Eachtinyscreenshowsanimage generatedbyacomputer.Butthetwoimages,althoughnearlyidentical, aren'tquitethesame.Instead,theyareimagesofthesamescene,butare shownfromslightlydifferentangles.Ifthecomputergraphicprogram worksright,yourbrainwillmergetheseimagesintoathree-dimensional vyiosuironeaorfs—thseosucnednse.thAatttahreessaymnechtriomnei,ztehdethoetahdep3hDonsecsenper.esentsoundsto Here'sthefascinatingpart.Thegogglesalsohavesensorsinthemthat trackthepositionofyourhead.Therearemanywaystodothis,fromthe early,clunkymodelsthathadwiresattachedtopulleys,tomodern systemsthatusesoundorinfraredtracking.Whichevermethodisused, thesensorstellthecomputerwhereyourheadisandwhichwayitis tilted.Thecomputergraphicsprogramisdesignedtorespondtoyour gesturesandmovements.Let'ssaythatyouareinavirtualrealityroom equippedwithvirtualfurniture.Turnyourhead.Thecomputerresponds bysendingnewimagestothetinyscreens,imagesofthewallsand furniturethatyoureyeswouldseeifyouturnedyourheadinarealroom. Objectsthatareoutsideofyourperipheralvisionwillsuddenlyappear, thoseyouturnawayfromwilldisappear. Ifyoucombinejustthepicturesandthesounds,whatyouseeisaworld generatedentirelybythecomputer.Thiscouldbearealisticsetting,such asaroom,afield,orthecoronationofaqueen.Butitcouldalsobethe fantastic.Youcouldbecomeincrediblysmallandexploreatomsand DNAmoleculesofavirtualworld.Whatwouldstopyoufrompeering intotheworkingsofavirtualclockorahigh-securitylaboratory?Noth- ienlgi.miTnhaeteprgroagvriatym—copuelrdhaepvseynocuh'adncgaereretaolisteyeitfhyeour'odoml'ikse,taabnldefallotaetr.oIrf you'dwanttolookthroughwalls,theprogramcouldmakethemtrans- parent. Youwillevenbeabletowalkthroughwalls.Ifyouwearaspandex-style glovefestoonedwithwiresthatreachbacktothecomputer,youwillbe abletopointinvirtualspaceandfeelyourselfmovethroughsolid objects.Theglovemayalsobeusedasadirectlinktoasimulatedhand invirtualspace.Asyoumoveandflexyourrealhand,thisvirtualhand alsomovesandflexes.Youcanreachoutinvirtualrealityandtouchan object.Withtherightprogramming,youcouldgrabthatobject.Ifthe glovehas“pressureeffectors"thecomputercansendmessagesthatwill makeyoufeelpressureagainstyourskin.Youwillevenfeelthevirtual objectorpersonthatyou'retouching. Eventually,acompletebodysuitofsensorsandeffectorswillenableyou toexperiencevirtualworldswithallofyoursenses.Scentsandperfumes willbeadded,andeventhefeelingofmotionfortheinnerearwillbe perfected.Themoresensorystimulithatareadded,themorerealthis virtualworldwillseem.Currently,however,fewsystemsareanywhere nearcomplete,andthegloveisoftenusedastheonlyfeedbackdevice. Notallvirtualrealitysystemsusegogglesandgloves,however.The "partialimmersion"systemshavea3Dscreen,gloves,andgoggles."Full- immersion"systemshavethegoggles,gloves,andbodysuits."Environ- mentalsystems"putyouinsideofachamberorpod,withoutuseof gogglesorglovesatall.Thispodcansimulateaplane'scockpit,inwhich thewindowviews,instrumentreadings,andevenmotionsmakeyoufeel asifyouareinadifferentworld. InthemovieTotalRecall,Quaid(ArnoldSchwarzenegger)takes anexcitingjourneyviaaVirtualRealityenvironmentalsystem andaccidentallyunlocksaseparatepersonalitysuppressed withinhismind(courtesyofAPWideWorldPhotos,Inc.). 240 ((JoyoJ'JJJy/itvrtea; Youmaybesomewhatperplexedabouthowallofthesegogglesand screensaregoingto,ineffect,makeyournight.Gogglesarehardlythe firstthingyouwouldchoosetoweartostimulatesexualardor.Aglove worksforsomepopperformers,butwhataboutthosesweatypalms?In thevirtualworldsofthefuture,whatyouwearhasnomeaning.Puton youroil-stainedt-shirt,yourmumu,ortheoverallsyouworetofixthe btioomiplgleor.a.nTtIhteedmnaltiytneogruesriwneiolitls,bpaelsudlgrogenesgdseaidsn,fboterunbreunasetidhneoisnts,.alalY,noyduotuwhrielblVobdReyspaurbioltegrotaromsreionsasrmoera-dy throughyourdreamworlds,lookingforlove,lust,orjustahandtohold. Yourinteractionsinthisvirtualworldwillshootbackstimulatory messagestothesensorsinyourbodysuit.Strokeavirtualbackandbe strokedback.Feelthecaressofsilkonyourchestandinhalethearomaof athpisasissijouns-tavriorutsuianlgrepaelriftyu—mea.dBruetambe.fOorreiysoitu?gotoofar,rememberthat in Let'stakealookathowwemaylookinvirtualworlds.Andremember,all tthhiesytaarlek"ofap"ptlhieesvitrotuyaoluwtoorlod—'sorrutloesyocuarnpbreeswehnacteevienrthtahtewporrolgdr.aJmusstayassit doesnotmatterifyouarewearingahousecoatwhenyouzoomoffinto cyberspace,yourownpersonallimitationsorperfectionshavenorel- evancethere,either.Unless,ofcourse,youwantthemtoo.Theprogram couldenableyoutolookatyourself,andshowthatselfassomereason- ablefacsimileofyourregularbody.Butitcouldalsoenableyouto assumetheguiseofthesexsymbolofyourchoiceorgiveyouthebody ofa21yearold.Youcouldbetaller,slimmer,morebuxom,moremuscu- lar,orhairier.Youcouldhaveblonderhair,whiterteeth,longerlashes,or darkerskin;theoptionsareendless.Itisallthestuffofromancenovels andofsciencefictionstories.Whatkindofchoiceswillwemakewhen wechooseourvirtualpersonas?Let'slookatsomeexamples. '^>y/>er<iexOktUowA241 •Youcouldslipintoabodyoftheoppositesex.Switchfromfemale tomale,maletofemale.Assumebothrolesatoncetotestouta popularexpletive. •Doestheideaofmakingloveasadolphinorsnakethrillyou? dPoegrghiaepsstayltei,gewrhoyranoktoableaciosmyeouFridtoasaten.dIfeyxpoeuriaernecgeoithnegrteoaldothiitng? •Youcanassumethebodyofanalienraceofyourowndesign.How doeslovemakingasapodpersonstrikeyou?HowaboutE.T.,a Klingon,oraPredatorwarrior?Whileyouarewearingthealien form,whynottraveltothedesertsofMarsortoaworldofyour ownimaging. •Youcancreatemoreordifferentbodyparts.Useyourimagination. Aretwoheadsreallybetterthanone?Willhavingtwovaginasor penisesdoubleyourpleasure?Dogargantuanappendagesheighten theeroticfeeling? •Youcancreatenewtypesofsexualstimulation.Perhapstheneck cnaonwbyeocuomwiellthbeeuatbmleosttooebqjueicpttohfedmesiwriet.hIfnyeowuhhoatvsepoatsf.ootfetish, •Youcantakeontheguiseofatraditionallyinanimateobject,such asacouch,achocolatecake,oravibrator. DoesthethoughtofmakingloveasaTerminator2turnyouon? (CourtesyofSygma.) 242 <Sy%e Thepossibilitiesarelimitedonlybyyourimagination.The programmakestherules,andyouchoosetheprogram. Inthisworldyou'renotnecessarilyalone.Youmayencounter entitieswhomoveandact.Thesecouldbeanimations,creations oftheprogramwithnopersonconnectedtothem.Orthey VirtualTrivia couldbeothervirtualbeings,thevirtualrealityrepresentations oWfhoatthedropyeoouplcealslhtahriisngplyaocuerwphreorgertahme.rulescomeoutofa Vciarltlueadl"reelaelcittryoniiscofLtSeDn," program?Thecommonnamenowis"cyberspace,"takenfrom sometimeswithapproval theso-called"cyberpunk"novels,suchasWilliamGibson's andothertimescriti- Neuromancer,thatexaminesocietiesinthefutureworldscreated cally.Thecommentis byon-linecommunication. sometimesattributedto the'60spsychedelics How Close Is gtuhrouugThimhoetihsyalLseoarqyu,oted assayingthatparticular Virtual Reality? cLSoDm.m"entis"aninsultto Nowthatyourimaginationandappetitehavebeenwhetted, lteotd'asyt.akTeruaen,emxotsetndofedthteouursetshrofouvgirhtutahlerfeiaellidtyoftovidratyuahlarveealaistymauscihtexists resemblancetocybersexasabicycletoafish,butitisinthecurrent experimentsinvirtualrealitythattherootsofvirtualsexwillbe grounded. Therearesomevirtualrealityprograms **Peoplewon'thave aroundtoday,asthenextsectiondetails. completeisolationso Butitisn'tnearlyasmuchassome muchasidentitiesthat enthusiastssuggest.Generatingbeliev- aphphpaehovaywersailtncehacselseytbacoonhdddoyoomsawoeinrttdeohof amcstibeoralnveleslmeoy3emrcneDsrdnaeiotanmustdasi,gneeagafsnfd,aeddnckitedenoxegrwpspoesiirnonnksugiinavdunbesgp,ocawdlaoilymnttpdhshuueihettse,ipanetd-agkes representthemselves.** power,aswellasahugeamountof Cf^art^&our: §)Ji<n'on«243 complexprogramming.Itwillcertainlybeusedforsuchpracticaltasksas "(itnetleerparcetsienngceat"a(edxipsetrainecne)c—ingansdticmeurltiaaitnlaydfiosrtsaenxc.e)Buatndtetcehlneocloongfiecraelnacinndg costbarrierswon'tmakevirtualrealityapplicationsadailypossibilityfor mostofusformanyyears. R.U.Sirius,theeditorofacyberpunkmagazinecalledMondo2000,claims innewspaperinterviewstothinkofvirtualrealityas"anextensionof thetelephone.Thetelephoneputsyouintocyberspace.Cyberspaceis anythingthathappensoutsideofactualphysicalspace."Heisenthusias- ticaboutvirtualreality,butsays,"Peoplewon'thavecompleteisolation somuchasidentitiesthathavelesstodowithphysicalbodyandappear- anceandmoreofhowtheychoosetorepresentthemselves."Heseesthe technologythatwillenableyoutointeractinvirtualspacetobeatleast fiveyearsaway.Despitethelimitlesspotentialofvirtualworlds,Sirius stillfavorstherealworld,saying,"Theworldissomuchbiggerandricher thananypossiblevirtualreality."Indeed,volunteersresearchingthe virtualrealitytestinggroundsoftenneedaperiodtoreorientthemselves afteraVRsessionandfindthereturntotherealworldagreatrelief. 44In30yearsyou'llbe rDeasneiaerlchT.tLeianmgionfHIaBwMt'hsovrinretu,alNrYeaalgirteyes. abletocompletelyfool Inoneofthemanynewspaper-virtual yourbrainintobelieving realityexcitementstoriesheconcludes, rwehasla.uitsnYdpyoeeoufnu'i'ldnrlidetbiesselbeyaeeclbi*ilneegfitso eaff"cuxoRttciuuuignarthdleiteingrzgnalootiowfinwo,sstnoh.vtfe"iotriOwtsmuanoaramlegteirh.mneeaaaTlkotrietiithrpoyeniHErsalthemwhcakoatnirnrdneo,isnn,itcthhee Artsandmorerecentlyofthegame- machinecompany3DOsays,"In30yearsyou'llbeabletocompletely foolyourbrainintobelievingwhatyou'reseeingisreal.You'llbeableto suspenddisbeliefindefinitely." 244 Cp/ir