Nichole had guy problems. She had just ended the relationship with her boyfriend, someone she had been dating for a few months. She liked him okay, but their sex life was less than satisfying. In truth, she rarely felt sexually fulfilled with those she dated. While some sex is better than none, most guys just didn't know how to excite her. But she was philosophical about the problem. "You just have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince" she used to say.
In a lunch with Ben - a close friend, not a boyfriend -- Nichole bemoaned the need to yet again re-enter the dating market. She was frank about how unsatisfied she was; they always talked openly about their respective partners. Ben was a medical researcher. He and Nichole had met in college, and while he was much attracted to her, she was not to him. If you asked her privately, she'd say there was no chemistry. But they were otherwise great friends.
Ben had heard this story of disappointment from her before. But now he had a suggestion. "You know that I work in medical research. Well, the facility I'm with now has developed an experimental machine. I think it could be very useful for you."
He explained that the new machine was a Sensory Reactivity Monitor, or SRM. Its purpose was to map the human body, detecting exactly what its points of sensitivity were, points of pleasure or pain. While not the purpose for which it was devised, everyone at the facility joked that it could provide a road map for one's sexual partner to follow. It was all very early in the process but if it worked, every lover would become the best lover.
"How does it work?"
He explained. "The machine uses sensors and probes to catalog every inch of your body, to record how you react to stimulation."
"I don't know", Nichole mused. "Do I want a machine poking and prodding me like a guinea pig? Would it be probing
all
my body parts?"
"Yes. That's its job. But it's a machine; it's not judging you. If you keep going as you are, you could be an old maid before Prince Charming comes along. You can't afford not to try it. And where's your sense of adventure?"
He continued: "We'd have to do this after hours. I have access, but the program is not designed for this usage, not just yet."
With some trepidation, she agreed. Thus it was that a few days later, Nichole was at the research lab's facility at 8 pm. The place was deserted except for her and Ben. Nichole entered a changing room and removed all her clothes. She put on a loose paper gown, like the hospitals use, to walk next door where a huge machine awaited her. It was large, with a tunnel opening like a CAT scan but much wider once inside.
She initially thought she'd wear the paper gown in the machine, but Ben quickly disabused her of that.
"I'll need to take that gown. It won't work if the machine isn't touching skin. Don't be shy; I look at a lot of human bodies in my work."
That was cold comfort. She had never been naked in front of him before, and it took all her courage to pretend that she was calm. What had she gotten into?
Ben took her gown and placed her naked on her back on a conveyor belt. Her legs were splayed apart, her arms at a 45 degree angle to her body. Sensors were placed strategically on the body. He adjusted soft straps to hold her gently but firmly, one over each limb, one around her middle, one across her chest. She was horrified at how overtly exposed and bound she was.