There are plenty of dating sites where you can seek out "singles," there's even missed connections on craigslist where you can seek out or search for a stranger who just might be The One, or at least one of them. The problem with dating sites –or any site which gives the user control over his or her online presence– is just that: the control often results in miscommunication resulting from misrepresentation. From what I've been told from a few online daters, yes, this does happen. And the problem with missed connections is that, well, its not really that easy to connect... "missed" stays "missed, " unless the user is an active frequenter of missed connections; the amount of postings and traffic that site gets daily, even half-hourly, makes it very unlikely otherwise.
So what then? I say, make it obvious, or leave it to someone else because you clearly aren't getting it right.
SOLUTIONS?
I am proposing a toy, or gadget, or series of them, which make it obvious that a you are the object of some (stranger's) desire.
LED-infused under garments worn & controlled by a user to glow(?) through their clothing to let a desirous specimen know that they (desirous specimen) are stirring arousal in them (sporter of glowpants).
This next solution takes the control out of the hands of the user and puts it into a third party's, for our purposes, let's call this the matchmaker. Matchmaker creates something of a treasure hunt for that potentially perfect mate. How? A set of two corresponding units (buttons, stickers, whatever.. not sure yet...) which would be wirelessly connected, would be given to each party. As they get closer, or are very near, they would glow, or beep, or indicate somehow that the other half is near. (my other half! you complete me! oh where are you!) This would become more interesting if game-like, possibly, scavenger huntesque elements could be brought into it. I'm not sure what.
The fact that someone else was picking a person for you represents their perceptions of you. in a sense, you communicate something to someone, and then, through who they choose for you, they are communicating back to you what their perception of what you have communicated to them is. Whether this is right or not, you will know.
I have to be honest, i if i was given the matchmaker's power, i would be inclined to abuse my power and randomly pick people to come together that may conflict, and maybe not even for romance. Maybe just bring unlikely parties together and see what happens. What does that mean? Am i meant to be on the casting staff for reality tv shows? oh dear.
inflatable breast dress (via wmmna) by Doria Fan. Its just that. along similar (technical) lines of glowing undies.
flirt bunnies (via wmmna) wireless bunny ears that flirt wirelessly with eachother. made by parsons kids, Chip Beck and CK Chan, in wireless toys class last semester!
lovers cups by Jackie Lee and Hyemin Chung the cups communicate wirelessly with eachother so you know when the other one is having a drink. when they drink together, they, as the creator's put ti, "share a virtual kiss.."
panasonic emotions testing line (via wmmna) by Jirì Cernicky users wear their emotions on the outside on a little portable device so they don't have to experience, or display, real emotions. i feel this is relevant because touches on communicating what is actually meant regardless of what appears to be true. (also a relevant precedent for the miscommunication idea)
mouthpiece (via wmmna) by Krzysztof Wodiczko is similar to the above, here users are immigrants who aren't comfortable or feel threatened by society to speak up and say what they want to. this exaggerated device they wear on their mouths speaks for them. (also a relevant precedent for the miscommunication idea)
