Casually Compromised - Book 1

The Product

"...mapping intention? Like emotional mapping of want, mapped in real time?" the manager asked.

"Yep thats exactly it." I replied.

I had just finished demoing a complex system of cameras that used infrared light optics to record every customers retinal eye pattern data and feed it into a system that would analyze it for intentions. This was part of the product I was using the club to engineer and essentially test in.

The idea was to map customers in the establishment on the intentional wants, picked up by their retinal eye scans. This data would then feed a kind of heat map telling you which customers at which tables were likely to convert sooner and with more variety toward well.. the products in the establishment- alcohol and women.

You could argue the girls already knew what the men wanted- that could be true, though not all of them really acted on it very well. There were still far too many girls hanging out on the Chair of Misery. Basically girls would get lazy, party cause they couldn't figure the guy out etc. Too many men, too little conversion. The manager knew this all too well- he was obsessed with conversion. He wanted VIPS, lots of them.

"I dunno, does this really work?" the manager said scratching his belly.

"Of course it works, its hooked up, we put the cameras in this morning, we did two dry runs- you're in the business of emotional recognition baby..." I said, confident in what we've done.

The product did work. I figured it up'd conversion for the manager assuming he'd implement a protocol of engagement, ie, yo Sally table five now, by 30% or more. That was better than a cheap spotter he'd pay. Clubs would often use a spotter, basically a cheap psychic or whoever who would hang out and try and call the action. A job I would of loved really. Sometimes the bouncers would do it. But now with this system they would get better data, precision impact for his operational efficiency.

Course this product worked in the club- what about outside the club? Mapping intent outside the club was tricky, companies like Apple and Google didn't like you mapping intent online as much as they would map it for themselves. What people didn't realize was the whole web, plus nearly everything we've ever touched with a camera in it has been mapping our intent since day one.

Adjusting a camera in the ceiling I noticed Vera finishing up a dance in the back room. It was early. No doubt she'd be curious about this thing- she was a geek really, one seriously hot geek.

She made eye contact with me for a second, sneering at me from afar, causing me to recall a memory her and I in a VIP room.

a memory opens...

"I know your intent the minute you walk in, I don't need a computer to tell me." Vera said sitting in the VIP room.

She was wearing the whites- a simple, white top and incredible bottoms. She had convinced me to VIP. It didn't take much really, given the whites on her skin, again crafted for precise enticement.

I have been to strip clubs on numerous occasions over the past 20 years and never once was tempted to to try the VIP. It always had an expensive ticket of course, like way too much money and then what are you getting exactly- champagne and what? VIP rooms made me think of shows like Miami Vice or some cheesy cop show. I figured you had to be a rapper or just made of cash to go into a VIP, I was neither but always curious.

She sat in the chair, a victorian style red love seat. Being a geek I've been around a lot of clean freaks- and this place would scare the shit outa them. The room was sparse and pretty drab, considering how much it cost to be in here. Vera was the only thing truly notable in the room.

"Yes, but you're confident..." I said attempting to ease my way out of the product bashing session.

I mean she had a point- she could read folks pretty well, but even she couldn't read retinal emotion data.