VF betaAR

A new variant of Virta-Flaneurazine, VF betaAR, has been successfully developed. It is produced from the skin secretions of bio- engineered and programmed hybrid Bufo toads. When areas of these toads are touched, the resulting reaction causes a wandering viewer to see things appearing from virtual worlds and other sources on the Internet. This appears to be an integrated and compelling conscious experience. This perception can be simultaneously viewed on an iPhone or Android device using Layars or other augmented reality software.

Because of the surprising success of our first test at MoMA, October 9, we will be entering a wider human test phase November 14 at BETA Spaces 2010 in Bushwick, Brooklyn (NY). The drug tests will be part of an art program, Bushwick AR Intervention. Though the parameters of the effects are somewhat limited at this point, this appears to be a very important step towards complete integration.

Immobility, Dissociation and Freefall

During the first few weeks of the clinic at Fringe Exhibitions we had some continuing problems with what we called the pejorative “bad trip.” However, it was not this avenue which bothered us, but rather its frequency. Negative, dead-end or paranoiac experiences have been reported with the use of all psychoactive drugs including those prescribed for depression such as Prozac or Zoloft. In the initial trials we experienced both in clinic visitors and our self-study experiments, problems in which the user would become a immobile and un-teleportable or exceedingly dissociated from the live Internet connection to the online virtual world. The above screen shots are of one of my such experiences.  I also observed a similar instance where the user’s avatar plummeted downwards in an endless freefall, spiral hallucination in tow. The patient and I watched until the avatar disappeared below. I’ve never seen this before, nor since.

The other significant problem that developed was a condition of immobility whereby the avatar simply would not teleport, and hence wandered endlessly along the bottom of the ocean or the sides of the hills near the clinic. This was indeed frustrating for administrator and subject alike. Since this problem seemed to clear up with adjustments in the dosage, calls to ATT tech support and refreshed local network connections, we did not spend much time studying the source of this effect. It may well be a proclivity in user with respect to certain dosages or conditions of the local or public network. However, at one point we did notice a distinct correspondence to periods of high Internet traffic and local Los Angeles traffic.

Script Molecule

This post shows the most up-to-date research and synthesis we have done so far on the Virta-Flaneurazine  molecular structure. The above diagram shows the script structure of the organic Virta-Flaneurazine molecule pictured in the upper left-hand corner below.  Areas of the two interlocking scripts are indicated in the center of neighboring rings. Source input and controls are indicated by branching nodes. Accessing external nodes such as SLURLs of current web events contained on VF prescription pages can be clearly seen feeding into the script structure. “Bats” is an example of a possible hallucination triggered from the script molecule.  It should be understood that this is only an example of the possible visual side effects triggered from a user’s psychic inventory.

The four-part diagram below shows how we were able to design the organic version of the molecule which became the model for the script version. The effects of each of these components has been discussed in earlier sections on prograchemistry and its biological and pharmacological derivatives.

First Prescriptions

Some of the first prescriptions are being prepared for the the launch of clinical trials at Fringe Exhibitions in LA. Though participation can also be initiated online, a real world clinic will be set up where patients can meet with the Dr.s* and receive a more guided experience.

Bufotenine

While watching Cane Toads: An Unnatural History, we realized there could be a relationship between the Bufo Toad toxins and VF.  Not only is there a similarity in the bufotenine molecule, 5-hydroxy-DMT, but experiential reports of distortions in the senses of time and space, instantaneous transportational perception and  color hallucinations would seem to confirm the analogous relationship. The Bufo Toad toxin secreted by glands in the toad’s shoulders and then boiled down, crystallized and safely smoked by hippies in communes.

The other ingestive alternative known as “licking toad” runs the risk of severe neurological effects such as paralysis, seizures, blurred vision, and dizziness. We should also consider the possibility that distorted time and space affect of imbibing bufotenine might be related to the “transference” of the toad’s seemingly aimless patterns of mobility as well as the “hopping” effect of teleporting in SL. This could be a fruitful approach for further study with respect to the digital form of VF.

Virta-Flaneurazine-SL, Midterm Report

The four-member team working on Virta-Flaneurazine-SL began its work in the fall of 2007 by isolating and analyzing the Virta-Flaneurazine-SL molecule and building the clinic in Second Life. Both of these endeavors have been successful. Reports on both areas follow.

 

 

Virta-Flaneurazine-SL Molecule:

Mass spectrometry suggests that the Virta-Flaneurazine-SL (VF) molecule resembles Lysergic acid diethylamide in many respects but with an extra molecular structure attached similar to 3-Mercaptopropionic Acid (3-MPA). 3-MPA is known to produce symptoms of disorientation. Presumably this accounts for the combined symptoms of wanderment and hallucination reported by patients. The results of our analysis of the VF molecule makes us confidant that we might now be able to dispel some of the misconceptions of composition that have previously circulated.

 

 

 

Prograchemistry:

A number of the hallucinatory effects of VF have been programmatically discovered and can be rather easily triggered using both internal and external scripting. In the process of this research, the experience of “tunneling” was discovered to be a recurrent symptom. This means that at times patients perceive themselves moving down a tunnel or into a spiral. Searching into his own past, Dr* JC Freeman, realized a recurring attraction to the notion of mazes or labyrinths, while Dr* WD Pappenheimer remembered painting numerous spirals early in his teenage years.

The wanderment prograchemistry has also been well charted. The auto-body programming compulsion to wander randomly and aimlessly has been isolated and written. The problem of understanding means for auto-teleportation has been overcome through a series of assays and is now a usable. This prograchemistry represents mostly the external portion of the two-part drug. The further understanding and mastery of creating a long-term multi-variant wander excursion, responsive to individual patients experience, represents the challenge of future work in this area. The capability to translate programming to cross-platform technologies will also be addressed at the final stages of the research.

Virta-Flaneurazine-SL Clinic:

Finally, the in-world construction of the clinic is proceeding as planned and most of lab equipment has been delivered. The clinic has a furnished waiting area, situationist reading materials, a front counter, a good supply of medication, an exam room and necessary medical charts and equipment.

This will be the location for in-world patient reception, recruiting, interviews, exams and distribution of the in-world dosage of the trial VF and placebo. Clinical study forms are being prepared and submitted for review and approval. 

When completed the administration of the trial will ensure that patients clearly understand the nature of their participation as well as provide the data, which might influence the patient’s response to the trial.

Finally, plans are being drafted for the deployment of the out-world mobile clinic, consisting of a standing hospital curtain, two interview chairs, transit files and a data projection of patients’ experiences. The out-world mobile clinics will be important points for initiating and continuing patient relationships.