Sex robot technology? What is the future landscape of lovemaking?
Have you ever imagined how your sexual indulgence is going to look 10 years from now? Thanks to the many brilliant human minds out there, technologies are rapidly evolving. For better or for worse, they will have an impact on our sex lives. The marriage between these innovative technologies and sex is what we know today as "sex tech".
What Is Sex Tech?
"Sex tech is technology and technology-driven ventures, designed to enhance, innovate and disrupt in every area of human sexuality and human sexual experience. Sex tech is important because sex and sexuality lie at the heart of everything we are and everything we do."
— Cindy Gallop, founder of makelovenotporn.com
Dema Tio found himself and his young wife working in different countries early on in their marriage, and out of their frustration came Vibease—a SMART vibrator which allows couples in long distance relationships to maintain their sexual connection.
Are You Ready For Sex Tech?
Regardless if you consider yourself to be a visionary or laggard in technology adoption, one thing is for sure—they are creeping in fast. A report from Future of Sex offers insightful information and predictions into these technological transformations in 5 major areas.
Read on to know more:
#1: Remote Long Distance Sex
Internet of thing (IoT) is a system that enables safe connection of device to the Internet. This technology will no longer be limited to just electrical appliances and switches, but sex toys as well. Talk about having a remote-controlled toy! How lovely!
Have you heard of teledildonics? It is a technology that sends and receives sexual touch over data networks. Now more commonly known as haptic touch technology, it creates an experience by applying forces, vibrations or movement wirelessly.
Vibease, the world first internet-connected, remote-controlled and wearable vibrator, enables couples to remain sexually active with each other despite being miles apart.
In fact, there are few companies with similar vibrators. Little Riot's Pillow Talk lets you hear the heartbeat of your loved one in realtime via a mobile app, wristband and speaker, as if you are lying your head on your partner’s chest despite being far apart. Haptic touch and virtual reality has also made prototypes like virtual hug and remote kissing possible.
Most certainly, long distance remote sex will become more plausible in the coming years, thanks to sex tech inventions. Similarly, highly customisable 3D-printed body parts or sex toys will be expected to integrate with touch feedback to offer more realistic sex.
#2: Virtual Fantasy
Having virtual sex would mean having to electronically transmitting sexually explicit or obscene messages via text, voice, or video. Cybersex via chatroom or online games, phone sex, and sexting are some of the common virtual sex phenomenon.
Virtual sex allows fantasies run wild. Online multiplayer adult virtual games allows users to adopt different roles. Red Light Center allows you to design your own avatar to have virtual interaction and sex with other players real time. The customisation of avatar and virtual environment allows the most outrageous and erotic fantasy. Moreover, some 3D sex games are support virtual reality headsets and interactive sex toys which can deeply intensify the immersive cybersex.
#3: Robot Sex
Robots aid humans in various types of tasks. There are erotic chatbots that help facilitate racy chats in online adult forums. Therefore, doesn't come as a real surprise that sex robot is a popular trend to expect.
Sexbots are life-like silicone dolls. They have sophisticated movements to make them look realistic. Because these dolls closely mimic humans behaviours and actions, they can offer realistic experiences comparable to real human sex. A prototype of DS Doll Robotic Head can speak, smile and sing. The Realdoll from Abyss Creations blends greater artificial intelligence and virtual reality for hyper-realistic features, warmth, and sensors that react to touch.
#4: Immersive Entertainment
In order have an immersive experience and heighten user’s intimacy, it is common to see many adult entertainment providers embrace and incorporate virtual reality (VR) technology with teledildonics.
For example, CAM4VR offers live streaming with VR sex camera and voice capability so users can engage more directly with adult performers. Hence, making a more personal and up-close experience. Meanwhile, CamSoda includes senses like 3D holograms and even odours through a sensory mask to provide a multi-sensory play.
Besides the adult industry, VR allows a more immersive sex education by helping to create a safer environment for people to learn about their sexuality. Emory University and Georgia Tech plan to develop a high-engagement VR sex education about safe sex practices for young women to minimise STIs, HIV infections and unintended pregnancies. VR can be used in therapy as well. BaDoinkVR intents to help enhance sexual pleasure and performance among singles and couples with their complementary VR tool.
By 2020, users are predicted to combine VR with haptic sex toys to indulge and enjoy a thoroughly immersive sex.
#5: Augmentation
Human augmentation often refers to improvement of human body’s capabilities and appearance. But we can't help but wonder about pushing biology boundaries with augmented reality, implants and wearable chips. Medical breakthroughs has opened up many possibilities that we never thought possible before. Yet, the news is constantly filled with success stories.
In 2016, the first US penis transplant happened to a penile cancer survivor who amputated his penis. In addition, the world’s first womb transplant was made possible by Swedish doctor Mats Brannstrom. Doctors at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre succeeded in building and implanting lab-grown vaginas from patient’s own cell to allow female patients to have normal vagina activities. Not to mention, they also successfully bioengineered penile erectile tissue and implanted them on rabbits.
By helping to reengineer human tissues and organs that are transplantable to help restore its normal function, the technology will help to overcome sexual dysfunction or injury. Moreover, it offers possibility to customise our bodies to enhance individual sexual aesthetic and sexual enjoyment.
Should We Embrace Sex Tech?
So far, the progressive sex tech "disruptions" in adult entertainment seem relatively well-received. At its core, these innovations aim improve intimacy and sexual pleasure and hold tremendous potential to resolve the once impossible sexual challenges into viable and effective solutions beyond physical, emotional, and geographical constraint.
We choose to believe that everyone will stand to benefit from this promising sex future. How about you? What do you think?
