“What will they come up with next?”
It’s a question that’s been tossed around ever since the invention of, well, probably the toaster, if not the light bulb. As technology moves boldly forward year after year, the new inventions the human race comes up with are sometimes stupefying in their “creativity.”
Yet, as defined as we are by our basic needs (food, shelter, air, sex), it’s no wonder humans would figure out ways of making the obtainment of these needs as easy as possible. And, of course, as horny as we can also be, it makes perfect sense that in our pursuit of sexual pleasure, inventions designed to stimulate such release have continued to, er, “pop up.”
Take, for instance, teledildonics (or, as they are sometimes referred to, cyberdildonics), the latest craze in not only sexual stimulation, but also adult Internet technology. Essentially adult novelty items (vibrators, dildos) that you can hook up to your computer or laptop and manipulate to stimulate an orgasmic response, these exciting new sex toys have been touted as the Next Big Thing. (And trust me, some of them are pretty big.)
And the buzz isn’t that far off. From automatic penile sleeves (like HighJoy’s iVibe Controller with egg) that stroke your cock while you chat with a lovely lady (or, ahem, lad) across the country to cyber-activated clitoral stimulators (such as the increasingly popular Sinulator device) for those lonely nights when you’re home alone, teledildonics represent a dramatic new shift in how adults are seeking out sexual pleasure. Gone are the days of exhausted spouses feigning sickness and dropping $80 on a date only to be left with balls bluer than Papa Smurf’s; in their place is a whole new world where the fulfillment of sexual desire is just a cyber-click away.
“It’s no great revelation that man has always been looking for the perfect sexual partner,” says Eric White, CEO of Virtual Reality Innovations Inc, the manufacturer of the highly anticipated Virtual Sex Machine for men. “For centuries, this has been his hand, a pillow, a knothole in the fence, or just about anything that can create friction on the penis. The fantasy of a guiltless machine, performing on demand for you, in whatever sexual manner you wanted, is overpowering for many.”
The Virtual Sex Machine is currently used in conjunction with X-rated content that can be viewed on the Vrinnovations.com site (a membership must be purchased, of course) to help stimulate the imagination, but not all of the devices are meant for solo usage. Indeed, as most of the toys are compatible with all varieties of Instant Messaging and chat software – and can be controlled by another party via the Internet – these new toys are making it easier than ever to, um, “reach out and touch someone” in ways Ma Bell probably never imagined.
Indeed, as HighJoy’s President Amir Vatan says, “Since the Internet was born, people have wondered when they can have sex online. Products like ours create a place where people can meet and get intimate from the comfort of their own home, safely and discretely.”
Consider the perks of such innovative products: Concerned about contracting an STD? Can’t handle the cost of gas right now? Disabled and not able to go out and physically meet people? No problem, says Vatan, who asserts that, “Teledildonics are affecting people’s sex lives in more positive ways than ever imagined in the past, allowing people to come closer to” – not to mention with – “each other, breaking any long-distance constraints and bringing people closer without any risks or incurring costs associated with traveling.”
Of course, there’s also the perk that teledildonics remove virtually all drama and hassle from the pursuit of sexual gratification. “Sex with a real partner has a ‘price’ attached to it,” White says. “Some of the benefits of devices like the Virtual Sex Machine are it never says no, it never gets tired, it never thinks what you want is ‘too freaky,’ and it never, ever gets a headache.”
All of which points to a fantastic future for both sexually frustrated horndogs and teledildonics alike. But don’t just take our word for it. As writer Regina Lynn recently wrote in her review of the Sinulator for Wired News, “I can honestly say that the Sinulator beats the Pocket Rocket hands down—even if I am getting strange looks from the other Starbucks patrons.”
