This is a two-person interactive machine by Ben Cowden (US) that was built in early 2008. The operator side has a lever and a crank. The lever raises and lowers the kissing lips, while the crank extends the kissing arm. A second person stands in front of the kisser and gets a kiss and an enthusiastic “I love you!!”. When the machine was made, Ben Cowden was thinking about mediated interactions and displays of intimacy through technological “middle men” (telegram, letters, telephone calls, email, instant messages, etc.). These types of interaction lend themselves to certain types of communication and emotional exchange, while other levels of interaction become more tricky. As more and more of our relationships are carried out over long distances and via limiting mediators, how do we successfully communicate with close friends and lovers?credit: Ben Cowden

Photo showing Ben Cowden (US) being kissed by his Kissing Machine. credit: Ben Cowden