sextechnews

[sextechnews]

She Created the Largest Commercial Real Estate Conference Focused on Diversity - SHOPPE BLACK - Shoppe Black

Adeola Adejobi is the Founder and CEO of Diversity in Commercial Real Estate (DCRE), the nation’s leading conference for professionals of color in commercial real estate. DCRE hosts the largest conference in the U.S. that focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion in commercial real estate. The national DCRE community includes 4,000+ professionals, entrepreneurs and developers. Annually, DCRE facilitates masterclasses, training, workshops, networking, real estate tours and career opportunities supported by corporate partners committed to closing racial equity gaps in commercial real estate. This year, DCRE will host its 4th annual conference from July 28-31, 2022. Attendees will participate in four days of dealmaking, keynotes, masterclasses, panels, recruiting and networking at Columbia University.

Diversity in Commercial Real Estate Conference attendees participating in an engaging mainstage industry session. “This conference is about leveling the playing field, working with the right partners who are dedicated to diversity and connecting them to talent and entrepreneurs”, says Adejobi. “DCRE creates a space on a national level to help bridge the wide diversity gap in commercial real estate. Our conference is known to help attendees find career opportunities, business partners, and secure capital for their deals. We are committed to increasing our results and impact, year after year.” Key industry leaders participating in this year’s conference include: Tammy K. Jones, CEO and Founder of Basis Investment Group, H. Jerome Russell, President of H. J. Russell & Company and Russell New Urban Development, LLC, Dr. Gina Merritt, Principal at Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures, LLC, Buwa Binitie, Managing Principal at Dantes Partners, Warner Walker, Director of Global Store Development at Starbucks, Yarojin Robinson, Managing Director of Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group (UIG) at Goldman Sachs, Ola Oyinsan Hixon, Executive Director and Assistant Portfolio Manager at PGIM Real Estate. Register at http://diversitycrec.com. Sponsors and recruiters may contact [email protected] to learn more. Follow DCRE on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Related Read the full article

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'Every day is a fight': Sex tech lands in CES, but not with a bang - Campaign India

Firms behind sex toys have finally been given official showroom space. Jan 13, 2020 04:47:00 AM | Article | Oliver McAteer

Plush Lamborghini massage chairs swallowing people whole greet tech-thirsty CES-goers at the festival’s health and wellness showroom in The Venetian, Las Vegas. That, and about 10,000 other products which claim to reduce stress and help you sleep better.  You know what’s also good for that? Sex. But, sadly, anything adult pleasure-related is marooned in a tiny corner of the goliath space.  Sex tech has always been part of CES in some small, hidden form. This year, however, is the first in which companies have been given their own official showroom area. There’s been so much chatter about this move at the 2020 festival following headline after headline of organizers’ decision to revoke an innovation award for Osé, a robotic massager developed in partnership with Oregon State University.  The backlash that ensued was great. Lora DiCarlo, the startup behind Osé, protested the decision along with other (mainly) female-led companies in the space.  Now a few sex toys stand proud on the CES Innovation Awards floor in front of thick crowds, including Osé, which sits next to a description that reads: "Using advanaced, patent-pending micro-robotic technology engineered in a leading university laboratory, Lora DiCarlo has developed a hands-free device that stimulates both the clitoris and the G-spot in a way no other product has been able to do before." Protest also led to organizers agreeing to give sex tech start-ups a real booth presence. But its highly-anticipated arrival has not come with a bang -- more of a disappointing whimper. Visitors are made to work hard to find the ten to 15 stalls hidden deep in the showroom. "Every day is a fight," said one rep who showcased a six-motor erection-enhancer. "Whether it’s having a presence at conferences or fighting to advertise on Facebook."    She likened sex tech’s reputation in the health and wellness category to how gamers used to be viewed.  "I used to work in gaming back when those playing were seen as the single guys locked away in their mother’s basement on GoldenEye," she explained. "When I left the industry, I was playing Wii tennis with my mom."  In other words, the sex tech revolution will take time. But make no joke about it -- these are health and wellness products. Inventions which make our lives better and address real problems. They are not cheeky sex gimmicks to be shoved deep into the recesses of the largest consumer electronics show in the world. (This article first appeared on CampaignLive.com) Read the full article

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'Sextech' expert on the future of sex - Cyprus Mail

In one of the leading speakers at the upcoming Reflect futurecasting festival, THEO PANAYIDES meets a risk taker, a former competitive snowboarder and IT executive who is now the world’s leading authority on sextech If you want to see how technology is changing the world, note that I spoke via Zoom with Bryony Cole in Australia – 10am in Nicosia for me, 5pm on the outskirts of Melbourne for her – a (surprisingly non-glitchy) face-to-face that would’ve seemed like science fiction two decades ago. You want more? Note that she’ll be talking to a whole online audience at the very excellent Reflect Festival (www.reflectfest.com) next weekend, joining a host of speakers at the Limassol-based fest which has had to go (mostly) virtual, for the usual precautionary reasons. You want even more? How about ‘Harmony AI’, the first sex-capable AI (a.k.a. sex doll) that comes with 12 different personality types and will even recite poetry to you? How about Mend, an AI chatbot that helps you get through a breakup using a specific algorithm for three months? How about OMG Yes, using touchscreen technology to teach women how to bring themselves to orgasm? How about a virtual-reality headset – the tech is there, albeit still in the experimental stage – that’ll allow men and women to swap (virtual) bodies, so you look down and you’re suddenly a different gender? It may seem like we’ve veered off the subject – but in fact it’s not just communications that have been transformed by the tech revolution; how, after all, does it help to be instantly connected to a person halfway around the world if you’re still alienated from your own body? Bryony, an affable 37-year-old, is also “the world’s leading authority on sextech” according to her Reflect bio, ‘sextech’ (a $30 billion industry) being all of the above plus a good deal more – not just “sex robots and VR porn, all these sorts of sci-fi fantasies” but technology used to facilitate intimacy, to improve relationships. to prevent or report sexual abuse, above all (as she says from her locked-down abode in Victoria) to try and foster “communication and empathy and listening, they’re the things that make sex great”. Those are also things that make newspaper interviews great – and I wondered how accessible she’d be, given her extremely high profile (she’s appeared on assorted TV shows and had write-ups in Wired, The New York Times, Playboy, Mashable, ABC, Forbes and many other global media), but in fact she’s very open, and delighted to talk. Maybe it’s to stave off the boredom of lockdown, an enforced hiatus that’s applied more or less continuously since March in Melbourne – Bryony uses the time difference to her advantage, working in the mornings and taking Zoom calls or teaching “sextech school” in the afternoons – or maybe it’s because of her life before lockdown, which involved constant speaking engagements. Her subject is a popular one, wherever in the world she happens to be. “If you put sex on the agenda, the room is always going to be packed,” she admits wryly. It’s strange, in a way. A YouTube clip shows her speaking at Brain Bar, a high-profile Hungarian festival; the audience is young and presumably savvy – yet, when Bryony opens her presentation with “Let’s talk about sex, right?” (the ‘right?’ being an Aussie-ism that’s survived her years in New York and globe-trotter status), a little titter of excited laughter ripples through the room. “Yeah, we still carry so much shame around the topic of sex, and it’s still a taboo topic,” she replies when I wonder why we still get so excited over something so basic. People are titillated “because they don’t get to talk about it very often. Most of the time, they don’t even talk about it with the people they’re actually having it with.”

She herself was no different, having grown up “pretty average” in middle-class Australia – and her background is slightly unusual in that both of her parents are creatives (both work in TV, her dad as a director, her mum as a producer), yet “I was taught growing up not to have sex until I was married,” she recalls, a bit surprisingly; “It really wasn’t until I was 30 that I realised it’s okay to have sex with people that aren’t your boyfriend”. It was only when she started doing ‘Future of Sex’, her popular podcast, that she even heard about alternative options like Skirt Club, a global sub-culture where straight (but bi-curious) women go and flirt with other women. Bryony shakes her head ruefully: “I wish I could tell my 16-year-old self that virginity is a myth,” she sighs. “Y’know, you’re not going to lose anything, it’s a complete social construct!… You could say you’re a virgin with every partner that you have, because you learn their bodies – but so many of these lessons I feel like I learned so much later. was the one area I didn’t take any risk in.” That last sentence is important, though – because she’s always been a risk taker in general, not in the sense of being reckless but just going for it. It may well be significant that she started out as an athlete (a competitive snowboarder), athletes tending to be can-do types who don’t overthink their decisions. At 21, she and her then-boyfriend relocated to Western Australia and lived in a commune (their home was actually in a treehouse) for about a year. Earlier, at 18, she decided to travel the world, “so I looked in the newspaper, got a job door-knocking selling phone plans, made my money in a month got out of there… I was always quite precocious in that way”. She travelled across southern Europe, “worked in hostels and slept on rooftops, stuff that now I’d be like ‘I can’t do that’ – but I think it’s been very much a part of my DNA to do things that most people don’t feel comfortable doing. And if they’re like ‘Oh, you shouldn’t do that’, I’m like ‘I’m gonna do it!’.” Bryony calls herself “a provoker”, yet she doesn’t really seem like a troublemaker; she was never the type to start fights, or get chucked out of school. (School was actually an elite all-girls’ school where “we were told we had to be lawyers or doctors or business people… but there was never any talk about relationships or sexuality”.) Even as a snowboarder, she seems to have lacked the killer instinct that makes world champions; instead, she launched a programme to get more women into snowboarding. Her main traits seem to be that she’s open, optimistic, a connector who loves meeting people – and, again, that she goes for it, ignoring (and indeed provoking) the play-it-safe crowd. Her career, she muses, has “just been a series of saying ‘Yes’ to opportunities”. She wandered a bit in her 20s, from Lonely Planet to a tech-related job at the Department of Justice – then she joined Yammer, an early social network (“like Facebook, but for work”) which in turn was acquired by Microsoft, who gave her a position as ‘Head of Community and Thought Leadership’. All this took her closer to sextech, without being sextech – but the final piece in the puzzle was something else, something unrelated yet very much related: the fact that, like many women, she encountered “typical, I would say, sexual harassment from school onwards, into university and right through the workplace”. Some of it was just condescension, “like being introduced as a Barbie doll in a sales meeting when you’re an executive” (being blonde and bubbly cancels out being brainy, in the eyes of some men). Some of it was outright harassment: “I remember thinking, ‘Isn’t it strange that I walk outside my house and consider whether to go left or right according to how strong I feel that day, whether I want to be catcalled by the guys at the end of the street or not?’”. Bryony developed early, while still a pre-teen; she recalls her pride at going to Target with her mum to buy her first bra – yet “that was the last positive message I got about being a woman, and my body, and celebrating that”; if anything, being a little girl in the body of a woman made her want to hide, to be smaller. None of this really explains her current career – yet she started doing her podcast around the time of #MeToo (which revealed how common her experience was), “and I found that talking about the future of sex was a really powerful way to reclaim my voice, and do things that people find confronting”. Gender isn’t sex, yet the female experience – like the sexual experience – is tinged with a certain repression; the taboo around sex still derives much of its power from women being ashamed of female pleasure and female sexuality (though men being ashamed of ‘toxic masculinity’ is catching up fast). Easy to see how confronting one kind of repression might ease the other – and it’s surely no accident that a lot of the most successful sextech is aimed at empowering women. One current trend (typified by Dipsea, an app that’s raised over $5 million) is for “audio porn, or erotica, for women… We’re seeing things like vibrators synced to erotic literature. The erotic literature market is huge, right? It’s a huge industry driven by female consumers”. Harmony AI notwithstanding, women’s sex toys have been the real growth industry – backed by female celebs, thus for instance Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop brand selling a ‘This Smells Like My Vagina’ candle – though Bryony reckons that too will change. “For me, when I think about the future of sex, the most interesting part isn’t the technology. It’s the cultural conversation that opens up because we talk about technology.” “This is horrifying” reads a YouTube comment under Bryony’s explication of sextech at Brain Bar – which is also part of the cultural conversation. ‘Saying yes’ to this looming new world is a struggle for many people, especially when modern society (exacerbated by lockdown) is so full of solitary strangers staring at their screens, never venturing outside their homes; surely more apps and robots – let alone those promising to supply sexual pleasure – are the last thing we need. “We’re emotional creatures and technology is not, at the moment,” disagrees Bryony (granted, those last three words don’t inspire confidence). “I’m yet to be convinced we can fully rip out emotionality and copy it into technology.” One should also note that sextech is often not as radical as it seems. Mend, the post-breakup app, is actually “a journaling tool”, giving you prompts to “journal your feelings” and tracking the aftermath of the relationship; it supplies information, not emotional cues. Dipsea isn’t really so different to romantic novels in audiobook form. Harmony AI may indeed recite poetry – but can she supply the feeling a flesh-and-blood woman would bring to it?

In the end, sex (and sextech) is still about people – and Bryony Cole is a good ambassador, coming off as a sociable extrovert rather than a tech nerd or wild-eyed futurist. Much of her mission actually has to do with making sex more inclusive (normalising all the different kinds of sexuality, not just straight, able-bodied and pre-menopausal) and letting people talk about it. Fittingly, lockdown has made her (even) more expansive and gregarious: rather than withdraw into herself, she and her Trinidadian boyfriend now want to bring new life into the world. “I can’t wait to have kids, I’m so ready to have kids now,” she enthuses. “I’ve frozen my eggs, and I’m ready for it!” Her globe-trotting lifestyle of the past few years was great, but also rather lonely; Covid has been something of a gift – even in the most locked-down city on the planet – making her pause and think about what comes next. So what does come next – not just for Bryony, but for all of us? Will we start the day with a couple of orgasms, like the people in Woody Allen’s Sleeper? Will we finally shed the taboo around sex, and will that lead to freedom or general depravity? (Didn’t we already have a sexual revolution, 50 years ago?) Will sextech simply enhance our lives in the way Apple watches and vitamin supplements do, allowing us to be happier on the inside by being happier on the outside? One thing’s for sure: as confirmed by Bryony’s travels and speaking engagements – hopefully including Reflect in a couple of days – everyone in the world is “obsessed , yet so scared of sex. Everyone thinks that ‘Everyone else knows what they’re doing with sex, everyone else is doing the normal thing. Only I have no idea about it’. That’s what I’ve found”. I leave her to gaze at the great Southern Ocean (the house is right on the beach) while I look at the Pentadaktylos, 14,000 kilometres away. Two random lives linked by tech, and a common obsession. Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

Sex Tech and the Rise of AI Robotics in the Bedroom: 9 Investment Ideas - Financial News Now

Reality blurredThe ‘sex tech’ industry is combining the huge advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics technologies to produce new and novel ways to experience sexual pleasure.The porn industry has a history as a technological disruptor. Take for example the widespread adoption of the internet, streaming videos or even the payment gateways to process online payments that the e-commerce industry relies on today.Sex tech appears to be the next step in that list of disruptions. What was once considered science fiction has now become reality, and your bedroom may never be the same again as a result.The sex tech industry is 10 years old, and was deemed to be worth an estimated $30 billion in 2019. Growth estimates see that valuation almost doubling by 2026.Savvy investors should take note and read on to learn more about this interesting investment opportunity.Novel Convergence of TechnologiesSteve Jobs presenting the new iPhoneWhat we are seeing happen in the sex tech industry is akin to what happened back in 2007 when the first iPhone was released.Technologies from various fields had reached a high level of sophistication in their own right.It took Steve Jobs’ vision to put those divergent tech applications together and create something that would literally change the world on arrival.And we all know what happened to Apple stock as a result. At the time of the first iPhone launch in 2007, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock was trading for as little as $4/share. Today Apple trades around $140/share.Sex tech companies are doing something similar. They are taking the mind-blowing advances in AI and harnessing speech recognition, machine learning and basic cognitive skills like remembering names and important dates and merging that with current robotic technologies such as touch sensors, articulated joints and micro-motors.The results are, to be honest, alarming — peaking both curiosity and sexual arousal.I have to say that I found myself getting a little disconcerted while doing research for this article. Some of the sex tech dolls are so realistic, I found myself confused as to what was real and what was a sex robot.They are that convincing.The concept and social norms of sex are being turned upside down. I believe that as the sex tech space matures and introduces further advances by adding specific features enhancing the user experience, sales are sure to grow exponentially.Next Level Sexual PleasuresSex tech includes a wide range of products that include hyper-realistic sex robots; app-connected smart vibrators, stimulators and massagers that learn and remember your preferred movements and tastes; personalized porn; virtual reality sex; and augmented sexual enhancement to heighten the users experience.Smart Sex ToysThe Popular Lioness Smart Vibrator and App. Source: lioness.ioArtificial intelligence in sex toys aims to learn from data gathered by sensors to elevate and improve the experience as well as personalize it.Most of these toys are connected to smartphone apps and let users learn more about their sexual preferences.Female sex toys is one of the fastest growing segments in sex tech. Single women are among the leading contributors to the market.And unsurprisingly, many of these companies are owned by women.Virtual Reality SexVirtual reality (VR) has come a long way in its development and now can deliver very lifelike experiences complete with haptic touch sensations. VR can be taken a step further with external sex tech devices connected to the app, creating a recipe for a mind-blowing experience for users.Sexual content related VR puts the viewer in the middle of the action. If done right, the experience can seem lifelike, making you feel like you are actually there as an interactive participant — and not just an observer. Sex RobotsProbably one of the biggest beneficiaries to emerge from the advancement of AI (Artificial Intelligence) tied to robotics could be the sex and companion robot directed at both men and women worldwide.The results are hyper-realistic models that breathe, have orgasms and a heartbeat. Thanks to advanced AI, these sex robots can hold a conversation about movies, music or books. They can tell jokes, remember your brother’s name and, of course, will have sex with you whenever you want.The HarmonyX by RealDoll. Source: realdoll.comArguably one of the most lifelike dolls being developed, the HarmonyX by RealDoll, a leader in sex robot development, is fully customizable — from her hair down to her private parts.Watch the video on YouTube to get an idea of how far the technology has come: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNiPmdsLpP4Demand for sex robots already appears to be strong. In the UK alone, more than 40% of men surveyed stated that they could imagine buying a sex robot for themselves in the next five years.And it isn’t just men who will be interested: RealDolls claims that 5% of their customers are women, while the remaining 95% are men.Driving Forces in GrowthThe sex tech industry is sitting on top of rocket growth due to the following reasons:- First and foremost, it is the basic human drive to have sex. It is a powerful motivator, and the sex tech industry is aiming straight for our loins. As the sex tech toys continue to improve and become more ‘real,’ more and more consumers will have a hard time saying no. - The sex tech industry has benefited from the huge advances in AI and robotic technologies. This trend will continue to make sex tech toys even more convincing and life like. - Another driving force of market growth is the widespread acceptance of sex toys. Social media and movies have brought sex toys out of the closet, so to speak, with messaging that these are not bad or taboo. Moreover, both mediums have significantly influenced millennials and future generations in accepting sex toys as a healthy means of enhancing their sexual life. - The ongoing COVID pandemic and social distancing requirements make ‘hooking up’ almost impossible, if not downright dangerous. Who needs to venture outside and risk contracting COVID (or a sexually transmitted disease for that matter) when they can enjoy a session with their favorite smart vibrator or sex robot?9 Ways to Invest and Profit in the Sex Tech IndustryWhile many of the companies actually making sex tech products are still private and relatively small, some do offer direct opportunities for private placement.You will need to do your own research and reach out to these companies about what investment opportunities they offer.3 Privately Held Companies That Show PromiseRealdoll/RealBotix – Abyss Creations, owner of Realdoll and RealBotix, is the current industry leader when it comes to high-end sex dolls and robots.Henry is available as a straight or gay companion sex robot. Source: realdoll.comThe company also develops robotic technologies capable of automating processes from households to industries. In addition, they are working on their proprietary artificial intelligence engine.Abyss also provides software solutions compatible with major devices and systems on the market.  Prices for RealDolls start at $6,000 and can go as high as $50,000 depending on the customizations chosen.Silicon Wives Lara Fit Sex Doll. Source: siliconwives.comSilicon Wives – A mid-range sex doll company, the company is focused on the future with a promising young brand. The company has a team of professional artists with over 10 years in the sex accessories business.With dolls selling for $2–$3,000, sales in 2020 were up 25% over 2019 according to the company.SexDollGenie - Another mid-range supplier, this Miami-based company saw a 33% increase in sales by couples during the peak of the pandemic, proving these dolls aren't just for singles.More Private Companies Worth a LookI found a good list of private sex robot manufacturers which might help in your further investment research: https://futureofsex.net/robots/state-of-the-sexbot-market-the-worlds-best-sex-robot-and-ai-love-doll-companies/ 6 Publicly Traded Investment OpportunitiesWhile the companies below are not directly active in the sex tech industry, they are active in developing the technology that goes into sex robots and toys.I believe that as the sex tech industry gains further social acceptance, we will see these mainstream AI and robotics companies begin to develop their own products or at least license their tech.Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF (NASDAQ: BOTZ)For investors looking for momentum, the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF BOTZ is a good pick. The fund share price is up almost 100% from a year ago.The ETF invests in companies that stand to benefit from the increased adoption of robotics and AI. This includes both industrial and non-industrial robotics and automation as well as autonomous vehicles.Robotics companies continue to see increased opportunities due to the COVID pandemic replacing jobs that humans once performed. It is generally accepted that robotics will continue to see increased usage in a wide range of capacities across various industries.A good place to start your research — look at what stocks are held by the fund and pick and choose which look best for your portfolio.Ekso Bionics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EKSO)Ekso Bionics® is a pioneer in the field of robotics. For over a decade, they have been committed to developing the latest technology and engineering to commercialize wearable exoskeletons and robotic-assist devices in a variety of applications such as medical and industrial markets.Exoskeletons resolve unique customer challenges in rehabilitation, allowing people to rethink their current physical limitations. Lightweight assist devices for industrial workers will help achieve mobility, strength, or endurance not otherwise possible.Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) partnered with Ekso Bionics to pilot EksoVest which led to the next generation of exoskeleton technology, the EVO, in multiple US plants. Since then, Ford has observed an 83% decline in worker injuries.Cognex Corporation (NASDAQ: CGNX) Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

Sexbots and flying cars: Real life is already like "Futurama" - Big Think

Futurama was a show that first aired more than 23 years ago and still holds a special place in the hearts of all sci-fi lovers. It was set in the year 2999 (and beyond) and featured various innovations ranging from the career chip to the Smell-o-Scope to the mind switcher that many of us still wish to become a reality someday. Apart from the gadgets, the show was also remembered for its super-advanced robot society that was not only driven by machine learning but also by emotions, spirituality, and gender. Futurama also gave us an idea of how society might function if humans, robots, and aliens (from different worlds) co-existed together on Earth.The show represented many of our expectations and fears related to the future in a humorous and satirical way. And, in some aspects, the real world is beginning to resemble Futurama.

Futurama today

We don’t have to go too far into the future to see that. In fact, some aspects of modern life already resemble Futurama. For instance, in a 2011 episode called “Cold Warriors,” a contagious disease spread across New York City, infecting nearly everyone. Given the high rate of infection, authorities decided to quarantine the city. Sound familiar? The only difference is that, in Futurama, the authorities sealed off the entire city using a gigantic plastic sheet. “Cold Warriors” originally aired on August 25, 2011, about eight years before COVID-19 emerged.

Talking heads and flying cars

Life in Futurama’s 31st century is full of amazing inventions and technologies. People can interact with dead personalities (including former U.S. presidents, celebrities, and scientists) through their talking heads preserved in jars filled with an unknown liquid. Does that sound far-fetched? Perhaps not.  Subscribe for counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday Amazon can deepfake the voice of anyone, like your dead grandmother. Additionally, various companies and nonprofit organizations are offering to preserve heads, brains, and bodies in the hope that you get a second chance at life if science ever cures aging and death. Many wealthy people like former PayPal CEO Peter Thiel have bought into this idea and are ponying up big cash. In the meantime, those of us in the living world will soon be able to get mind-controllable robotic arms, if we find ourselves in need of a replacement.We also won’t need to wait until the 31st century for other inventions featured in the show. Social robots? Those are already on the way. Last year, the makers of Sophia the robot announced that it (she?) will be mass-produced. What about flying cars? We have those now, too, though they’re given the more formal name “electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.”

Big Tech

If you think Big Tech is big today, Futurama predicts an even bigger Big Tech in the 31st century. Today, social media giants collect our data and employ algorithms to monitor and even manipulate our actions. Of course the same will occur in the 31st century, according to Futurama.The show features a tech and toys company called MomCorp whose CEO uses her position and power to exert control over everything on the planet. In the episode “Attack of The Killer App” (which first aired in 2010), Mom releases a virus called Twitform that takes control of the mind of every internet user who crosses the mark of one million followers on social media. The virus ends up turning the lead characters into mindless zombies who would do anything that Mom wants. In another episode titled “Mother’s Day,” Mom takes control of every robot on Earth and creates chaos by triggering a robot uprising against humans.One of the more interesting features of Futurama is how it handles incredibly complex philosophical and ethical topics. For instance, Futurama highlights both the good and bad sides of intelligent, self-thinking robots. It asks the question: If humans can be both good and evil, then why not robots? Indeed, the robot named Bender can be a good friend, but he also likes to steal money, drink alcohol, and have sex — with robots, humans, and aliens. Once again, this is not just goofy cartoon-world. Sexbots are real. And sex tech is thought to be a $30 billion industry.

Futurama, redux

Every day, our real world inches closer to the fictitious one portrayed in Futurama. Fans of the show should be happy to learn that, in February 2022, Hulu approved an all-new 20-episode season of Futurama. Good news, everyone! Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

Global Industry Analysts Predicts the World Sex Toys Market to Reach $54.6 Billion by 2026 - PR Newswire

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new market study published by Global Industry Analysts Inc., (GIA) the premier market research company, today released its report titled "Sex Toys - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics". The report presents fresh perspectives on opportunities and challenges in a significantly transformed post COVID-19 marketplace. World Sex Toys Market FACTS AT A GLANCE Edition: 6; Released: December 2021 Executive Pool: 487 Companies: 63 - Players covered include California Exotic Novelties, LLC; FUN FACTORY USA, Inc.; Kanojo Toys; Meiki Toys.com; Tenga Co., Ltd.; TOMAX USA and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Type (Adult Vibrators, Dildos, Erection Rings, Other Types); Distribution Channel (Online Stores, Specialty Stores, Mass Merchandisers) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass™ Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry ABSTRACT- Global Sex Toys Market to Reach US$54.6 Billion by the Year 2026Sex toys are also known as marital aids or adult toys and are used to enhance a person's sexual pleasure when making love or masturbating. Sex toys are even known to have medical benefits when the user has a medical condition or sexual dysfunction. Sexual Selfcare and wellness are being taken very seriously by consumers and a surge has been observed in the demand for creams and lotions for feminine wellness and sex toys for both sexes. Several manufacturers are focusing on health, beauty, and self-care and are launching new products and devices such as mini massager and air pulsing arouser, personal lubricant, and toy cleaning wipes. Sexual wellness products such as gels and toys that are affordable are being introduced in the market and the stigma around selling sexual items in conventional stores is fading away. The change is anticipated to be because of the demographic shift, as the millennials have a different view of sexual wellness in comparison with the baby boomers. Gradual fading away of the stigma associated with masturbation, even among married couples is benefiting the market for sex toys. Their adoption and use is growing especially among single women wanting to masturbate solo with sex toys such as vibrators, clitoral stimulators/suction vibrators, internal vaginal toys, cock rings, blowjob sleeves, and anal toys, among others. The acceptance of the growing LGBTQ community is another major factor driving demand for sex toys. Steadily growing popularity of male sex toys, increase in online sales, development of technologically sophisticated products, and growing population are other factors driving growth in the market. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Sex Toys estimated at US$35.1 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$54.6 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.6% over the analysis period. Adult Vibrators, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 8.2% CAGR to reach US$25.9 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Dildos segment is readjusted to a revised 7.1% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 24.3% share of the global Sex Toys market. The U.S. Market is Estimated at $12.6 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $8 Billion by 2026The Sex Toys market in the U.S. is estimated at US$12.6 Billion in the year 2021. The country currently accounts for a 33% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$8 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 10.4% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 6.1% and 7.3% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 6.4% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$4 Billion by the end of the analysis period. Erection Rings Segment to Reach $7.8 Billion by 2026In the global Erection Rings segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 8.7% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$4 Billion in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$7.1 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$753.7 Million by the year 2026. More MarketGlass™ Platform Our MarketGlass™ Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR™ Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS: Zak Ali Director, Corporate Communications Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Phone: [phone] www.StrategyR.com Email: LINKS Join Our Expert Panel https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

How One Sex Tech Brand Uses Swarovski Crystals, Gold Accents To Fight Stigma - Forbes

Zalo USA King vibrator ZALO USA After a year of social distancing and lockdowns, it’s only natural that people should feel the need to indulge. One of the healthiest and most accessible ways to do so is through sexual pleasure, which, thanks to technology, is easier to do than ever—no partner required. Those looking to take their pleasure arsenal up a notch have a new option available thanks to Zalo USA, a vibrator and sex toy company that is also the United States-based distribution of European luxury kink accessory company UPKO.  “There’s been a growing awareness surrounding self-care, which we’ve seen is helping consumers to overcome shame and stigma around masturbation and pleasure,” says Peter Ovsonka, president & CEO of Zalo USA. “As this intimate form of self-care becomes more widely accepted, so does treating oneself to a luxury pleasure product that caters to individual desires,” he says. Zalo USA Queen Amethyst G-Spot Massager Zalo USA Zalo’s different product styles incorporate intuitive engineering and top-of-the-line craftsmanship, offering functions like pre-heating to body temperature, Bluetooth connectivity, and whisper-quiet dual motors. “Everyone is different in how they find pleasure, so not every toy is made for every desire. Zalo offers toys for a range of all desires and functions; all of our styles have advanced technology designed with the consumer experience in mind,” Ovsonka says. The Legend Series Queen G-spot Massager uses Zalo’s proprietary PulseWave technology. PulseWave is different from conventional vibrating sensations in that it concentrates the vibrations more directly and powerfully and has the ability to penetrate even the most sturdy materials, like silica gel. “With PulseWave technology, every vulva-owner can more intimately explore their G-spot,” says Ovsonka.  PowerThrust technology, which is also proprietary to Zalo, is utilized in the King vibrating thruster. This machine combines high-performance motor systems and precision electric drive structures with a frequency of up to 40 times per second for a powerful orgasm experience. ZALO USA Rosalie vibrator Courtesy of ZALO USA A recent addition to the Legend Series is Bess, a clitoral vibrator that uses DirectPower vibration transmission technology to concentrate stimulation on the clitoris more powerfully. Bess is designed with ergonomic comfort to be held and is extremely quiet for discreet use. In addition to tech, they are also just nice to look at. This is notable, considering people don’t often purchase sex toys based on aesthetics alone. Zalo indulges in opulent aesthetics and includes details like gold plating, jewelry-grade enamel details, Swarovski crystals, and silky food-grade silicone. Taking the luxury concept a step further, Zalo features collections called “Legends” and “Versailles,” with product names like “Queen,” “Hero,” “Marie,” and “Confidence.” Though Zalo’s products clock in under $200, which is considered accessible for pleasure products, Ovsonka says they are all inspired by the “opulence of fine jewelry,” which he says, “evokes a sense of sophisticated self-indulgence—we encourage customers to indulge in their pleasure.” Zalo USA Fanfan set ZALO USA Zalo’s product line was recently added to Organic Loven, an online organic intimacy shop that features expert-recommended products run by erotic educator Taylor Sparks. “Zalo has taken a simple masturbation toy and used design elements such as gold and crystals to make it less intimidating by giving it a touch of luxury,” Sparks says. “Some masturbation toys that look very phallic in nature can trigger thoughts of shame because ‘good girls’ don’t masturbate or seek to pleasure themselves,” she adds. Sparks says that the design features play into “a bit of a mind game.” “If it looks beautiful and luxurious, then it can’t be wrong,” she says. “It works for some who may be still struggling with the sexual shame brought on by religion or culture.” Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

Sex toy sales have skyrocketed, so why are startups screwed? - The Hustle

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[sextechnews]

Your sex tech devices may be spying on you - CNET

This story is part of CES, where CNET covers the latest news on the most incredible tech coming soon. Sex tech took over CES in Las Vegas last week, with vibrators, Kegel trainers and even a Band-Aid-esque patch to prevent premature ejaculation on display. Almost all of these devices connect to apps, and many collect data. But what happens when sex tech or the apps that power them get hacked?This year, more than 20 billion connected devices will be installed worldwide, including sex tech products with apps that monitor orgasms, save vibration patterns, or let you connect with your long-distance partner's pleasure gadget. Since most operate over a Bluetooth connection and with an app, breaches are possible and even likely. The good news: some established vendors in the sex tech space are taking security seriously -- or at least are trying to. There are consequences to inaction. A high-profile lawsuit in 2016 accused sex tech company We-Vibe of transmitting user preferences, usage data and email addresses to its servers without consent. The company settled the case for $3.75 million in 2017. Click for more on the intersection of technology and sex. Security is top of mind for companies that have seen the impact of lawsuits or breaches, said Nicole Schwartz, a researcher for Internet of Dongs, which pairs security pros with sex tech vendors to find vulnerabilities in devices. But generally speaking, when it comes to security, sex tech products are "all over the map," she added. Sex tech tends to fall into three categories, said Schwartz: products from established players with technology backgrounds; products conceptualized by one person who then exports the designing and manufacturing to a third party; and novelty products brought to market quickly to make fast cash. "Two out of three of these companies are not conscientious about security," Schwartz said. "The ones you are going to see at CES are obviously a little more tech-minded, so you're seeing a particularly biased section of the market." 

Rocky beginnings

In 2016, security consultant Brad Haines wanted to learn more about IoT security but found that most areas (like connected kitchen appliances) had already been well-researched. Meanwhile, the sex tech industry was beginning to boom, but no one in the security community had given those products a serious, professional security look. That year, Haines founded the Internet of Dongs. "It was rather terrifying at the beginning, just how bad it was," Haines said. "This was an industry that never had to deal with connectivity before. There's no one around to say, 'That doesn't seem like a good idea.'" The project uncovered some egregious issues. With one app, a single API query gave him access to the entire user base. He was able to hack into another product -- a webcam attached to a ring worn around the penis -- within 20 minutes. Vibrator manufacturer Satisfyer just launched an app that you can use anonymously, with no data stored or collected, according to the company. Sarah Tew/CNET Sex tech security concerns are less about someone hacking the device itself -- typically, you'd have to be within 10 feet or so of the device to do that, Schwartz said. The bigger problem is the app on your phone. That's where compromises are more likely to happen and where users have more control, she added. A Mozilla blog post from last February assessed the privacy and security features of sex tech products based on five basic steps it believes every company should take to protect consumer privacy: encryption, security updates, strong passwords, vulnerability management and a privacy policy. Lioness -- a vibrator that pairs with an app -- meets Mozilla's Minimum Security Standards. The device has biofeedback sensors that measure pelvic floor movement and vaginal wall contractions, both of which indicate arousal. Looking at that data in the app helps women understand what conditions are most pleasurable, Anna Lee, co-founder and vice president of engineering, said at CES.The app requires you to create a profile with an email address, but the rest can be anonymous. The company collects anonymized data, Lee said. Lioness also has a Privacy page on its website that breaks down its policies in easy-to-understand terms. "At the end of the day, vibrators are an intimate product," Lee said. "It's absolutely important how you secure that data for people and make sure that we don't have IoT devices that leaked that data and privacy."  Now playing: Watch this: Sex tech continues to impress at CES 18:55 Other companies at the show emphasized the security of their products as well. Vibrator and clitoral stimulator manufacturer Satisfyer launched an app that you can use anonymously, with no data stored or collected, a company representative said. OhMiBod -- a husband-and-wife-owned company that sells Kegel exercisers, vibrators and other devices -- displayed a new Bluetooth-enabled vibrator for long-distance partners. The company doesn't collect data other than that needed to create an account, co-founder Brian Dunham said. While users can store information like vibration patterns or Kegel exercises directly on the app, "if you lose your device, you lose that data and history," Dunham said. "But we think that's a small price to pay for the added security." 

Waiting on stronger security measures

More lawsuits have made some companies pause before connecting sex tech devices. Hong Kong-based Hytto, which makes products under the Lovense name, faced a class-action lawsuit in 2019. The plaintiff alleged the company secretly stored and monitored the personal data of users of its Lush vibrator -- including the time and date of use -- without their consent. Lori DiCarlo's sex tech devices are not yet connected to an app, though the company said it plans to do so in the future once it can better ensure security. Sarah Tew/CNET "We don't sell our users' data, and we only use it for customer service issues, and we wipe those logs regularly," Gerard Escaler, Lovense's chief marketing officer, said at CES. "The specific concern was there was something that was cached in the user's phone, which was addressed by an update that we did." MysteryVibe's connected vibrators allow you to store vibration patterns and settings on an app. But if the app is deleted, all of that information is gone. "We have no profiles, because we strongly believe nothing is unhackable," Soum Rakshit, MysteryVibe's CEO and co-founder, said at CES. The company has yet to release a long-distance user feature, because it wants to make sure security is tight enough, he added. "A lot of people spend months debating the color of a product," Rakshit said. "If we can give security the same level of design importance, then we won't have to worry about it later. The biggest selling point is it saves you time and money if you do it in the beginning."  "We have no profiles, because we strongly believe nothing is unhackable." Soum Rakshit, CEO and co-founder, MysteryVibe Notably, Lora DiCarlo's Osé, a robotic sex device designed to give women simultaneous clitoral and G-spot orgasms that won a CES 2019 innovation award, isn't yet connected to anything. "Eventually, we want to have it Bluetooth- and app-connected, but we're waiting to make sure it's safe," said Mazie Houchens, an engineering technician at Lora DiCarlo. "Because we're an up-and-coming industry, especially in technology, we don't want to set ourselves up for failure." 

How to choose a secure sex tech device

If you're concerned about the security of a device, there are a few steps you can take, Internet of Dongs researcher Schwartz said. "Check their website and see -- do they require you to create an account? Do they talk about security? Are they specific at all -- do they say things like 'We encrypt everything'?" If you're using a sex tech device that connects to an app or website, make sure you create a new, non-identifying username, email and password, Schwarz recommends. MysteryVibe's connected vibrators allow you to store vibration patterns and settings on an app, with no profile. Caitlin Petrakovitz/CNET "Make it so even if somebody compromises your stuff, they're not going to have enough to really confirm that this is you," Schwartz said. If you break up with a partner who you had been using a device with, make sure you change all of your email and passwords associated with it as well. Even if you don't create a user profile, your privacy could still be invaded, Ken Munro, consultant for security firm Pen Test Partners, told CNET. Almost all sex tech products use Bluetooth to connect to the user's smartphone. The Bluetooth advertising ID (the Bluetooth device name you see on your phone when trying to connect to a new device) is usually static, so your neighbors might be able to see it if it's on, Munro said. This is how the firm was able to locate and hack a number of sex tech devices. Munro also contests the idea that some sex tech companies don't collect any data. "All mobile apps collect data in some shape or form," he said. "It was impossible to enable Bluetooth in an Android mobile app without the ENABLE_COARSE_LOCATION permission, so the app collected location data whether the developer intended it or not." We're also seeing an increased range of sensors on adult devices, Munro said. That means more functionality, more data, and more opportunity to get privacy and security wrong, he added.  Until strong security standards are in place, users will have to ask themselves: How much does the benefit of a connected sex tech device outweigh the risk of a hack? "For those in long-distance relationships, or those who travel for work often, it's a way to maintain intimacy between partners," security consultant Haines said. "Provided everyone involved is aware of and accepts the potential risks, this tech can make relationships stronger, and that's a worthy benefit."  Now playing: Watch this: CES 2020 shows off the big tech trends for the year ahead 1:21 Originally published Jan. 17.  Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

How To Improve Sexual Energy With Acupressure - HYPEBAE

Hong Kong-based Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist Master Ruth has partnered with sex tech brand We-Vibe to introduce the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine to sexual wellness, using vibrators specifically. Sexual wellness in Chinese medicine is all about the kidneys — not the genitals. The kidney acts as the “root of life,” so any imbalance within the kidneys affecting the yin and yang can create issues. The yang is the sunshine in your body that “warms the reproductive sex organs,” while the yin is like “the water streams in our body,” which nourishes you. As you orgasm and your body contracts, energy flows throughout the body. If your kidney and yin and yang energy are at optimal levels, it is believed that your sexual energy and vitality will be optimal as well. Traditional Chinese medicine is holistic, so any issues like low libido and lack of sexual pleasure are healed through a curated wellness plan that combines measures like acupuncture, acupressure and other methods like herbal teas. These aid the kidney and your yin and yang energy, directly helping you sexually. Acupressure is an inexpensive, safe and simple self-care practice for realigning your yin and yang energy. Read on for Master Ruth’s tips for using vibrators to perform acupressure.

The Yongquan KI1 Point

On the sole of the foot, about one-third of the distance between the base of the second toe and the heel, the point lies in the depression that appears when the toes are curled. It is the first point of the kidney meridian. Besides it being great for activating the qi of the kidney, this point is effective for calming the spirit and balancing excessive heat in the heart system. We-Vibe’s Touch X’s eight intensity levels along with seven modes deliver deep powerful vibrations for a pleasurable massage. 

Wow Tech

The Zhongji CV3 Point

It lies six fingers’ width below the umbilicus on the midline. This point is effective in strengthening the kidney essence and moving the stagnation in the reproductive and urinary systems. Convenient and eco-friendly, the Tango X is rechargeable with up to 120 minutes of massage on a single charge. Wow Tech Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

These 7 Sextech Products Are Transforming How We Have Sex - Pulse Nigeria

Undoubtedly a lot of sextech is focused on sex toys in the hopes of enhancing sexual pleasure between couples, but there are plenty of sextech products also tackling real-world problems couples face. These creative sextech companies are answering questions like Why does it hurt when I have sex? and What can I do to prevent premature ejaculation? We spoke to three sextech pioneers to learn about their favorite recently-released or soon-to-be-released sextech products. You'll hear from Bryony Cole, CEO of The Future of Sex , a company that works to promote real world sexual connections in a non-pornographic manner; Daniel Saynt, founder and chief conspirator of The New Society for Wellness ( ), a private members club for the adventurous; and Kristin Fretz, co-founder of Emojibator . They each provided Men's Health with a few of sextech products they're most excited about in 2020. 1. OhNut What is it: OhNut are rings that penis-owners can wear around the base of their penis that helps control the depth of penetration. It's a helpful tool for when vulva-owners experience pain from having a penis too deep inside of them. Why its exciting: " OhNut is my favorite wearable toy in the market because its simple design solves a huge medical problem," says Fretz. "No person should feel pain when theyre trying to experience pleasure, and the inventor Emily Sauer is committed to ending painful sex, which is so badass!" 2. Lioness Generation 2 What it is: Calling itself the worlds most advanced vibrator , the Lioness uses built-in sensors and an intuitive mobile app that actually lets you visualize your arousal patterns and orgasms. You can review the results on your phone and then use this information to make your climaxes stronger and more enjoyable. Why its Exciting: There are few "smart" sex toys like the Lioness. " Im so impressed by their use of technology and data to teach people with vaginas how to have the best orgasm," says Fretz. 3. eXtreme Restraint's Thrusting Dildo Strap-On What is it: A strap on dildo that uses mechanical tech to thrust on its own. Why its exciting: "Perfect for taking your pegging game to a whole new level, this thrusting strap-on extends over an inch to ensure you enjoy the deepest pleasures," says Saynt. "With seven modes of thrust and vibration you're sure to find the right mix to please any partner who's lucky enough to enjoy this game-changing new toy." 4. Lover App What is it : Lover is a personalized, science-based app for addressing your sexual concerns, increasing your pleasure and improving your skills in bed. It provides audio and video content, plus practical exercises, games and sexual profiles, all designed to improve your sex life. Why it's exciting: Released in February, the app begins by guiding you through Myers-Briggs type personality test to determine your sexual phenotype. Once youve taken the test, you'll have the opportunity to share your type with your partner, which may put into words some things youve been wanting to articulate in the bedroom but didnt know how. "Once you connect with your partner on the app, you can each play a game which decides what sort of kinks and fantasies youd be down for, and only the ones you both connect on will be shared with your lover," says Cole. 5. Morari Medical Premature Ejaculation Device What is it: The Morari concept is a transdermal-based patch that uses neuromodulation as a means of inhibiting the nerves of the penis, thereby delaying an ejaculation. In simpler terms, it's a Band-Aid-like device you place on your perineum that helps you not ejaculate as quickly. Why it's exciting: "The wearable patch is going to provide a solid alternative to pharmaceuticals and existing treatments," says Cole. "The team is currently doing a pilot study with some great results." 6. Tryst What is it : A bendable, multiple erogenous zone massager with a remote designed that was designed with all bodies in mind. Why it's exciting: "An exciting thing about new sex toys hitting the market is that they are becoming more and more genderless," says Saynt. "The Tryst is a bendable massager designed to ensure every he, she and, they have a toy worth exploring with. Pleasure knows no labels and neither does the Tryst." 7. Emojibator Chickie What is it : Released in 2019, the Chickie vibrator is a cute, little clitoris sucker and vibrator. Why its Exciting: "While the suction tech itself has become common on the market, we made a quality, beauty toy at a budget-friendly price which is pretty revolutionary in the current market," says Fretz. Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

Good Vibrations: The Transition From Sex Toy to Medical Device - Medpage Today

NEW ORLEANS -- Formal medical studies of vibrators have revealed positive effects on multiple sexual and urinary outcomes in women, a review of published literature showed. Though limited in number, the studies induced favorable changes in blood flow and muscle tone of genital tissues, improved multiple aspects of sexual arousal and satisfaction, increased orgasmic response, and decreased sexual distress. In women with pelvic floor dysfunction, use of vibrators was associated with decreased urine leakage and urinary symptoms and significantly improved pelvic muscle strength. Other studies showed that vibrators decreased pain and improved sexual enjoyment in women with vulvodynia. "Medical providers, especially gynecologists, urologists, and FPMRS need more education on women's sexual health and vibrators," said Alexandra Dubinskaya, MD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, at the American Urological Association annual meeting. "We need to remove the stigma from vibrators and I do believe this soon will be possible as we are now normalizing discussion about women's sexual health." "In our practice, we usually tell our patients to eat healthy, exercise, get enough sleep, and please use your vibrator," she added. Vibrators should be viewed as another form of technology that can be applied to benefit patients in clinical practice, said Rachel S. Rubin, MD, of Georgetown University in Washington. "I believe we use technology to make our lives better in almost every way ... and the bedroom should not be absent of technology," she said. "Sex tech is incredible now, from what it used to be. It's no longer just the seedy stores with newspaper over the windows, but really high-end wonderful devices for couples for all genders. There are so many health benefits to these devices." "I believe that if we get male partners interested in devices in the bedroom, everyone's sexual health will improve," she stated. " work and the work we're doing in terms of the science behind it, it takes the shame away and the guilt away. We know that women take longer to orgasm than their male partners, and that's because the clitoris is all internal. Teaching people basic science and physiology will make sex more fun, more enjoyable, and help everyone have better quality of life ." Therapeutic vibratory stimulation has its origin in the historical condition known as female hysteria, associated with excessive emotions and thought to be related to marital relationships, orgasm, and pregnancy, said Dubinskaya. Early practitioners who treated the condition used manual pelvic massage to bring women to orgasm, which was thought to reduce the emotionality. "Because doctors' hands were getting tired while providing pelvic massage to women who had female hysteria, they kept looking for methods to free their hands," she said. The search took practitioners to hydrotherapy with pelvic douches, a coal-powered flat surface with a rotating sphere in the middle for women to sit on, and finally to the first hand-held electric vibrators, which were also used to treat constipation, arthritis, muscle fatigue, and "pelvic congestion." Over the years, the association with potential health benefits became overshadowed by vibrators' reputation as sex toys, supported by the devices' use in early pornographic movies, said Dubinskaya. Traditionally associated with female sexual pleasure and having a phallic shape, modern vibrators have a high-tech appearance. Surveys conducted more than a decade ago showed that a majority of women and more than 40% of men reported using vibrators at some point in their lives. Dubinskaya and colleagues sought to assess the evidence supporting vibrators' medical benefits in women. They conducted a systematic literature review, focusing on studies related to sexual health, pelvic floor function, and vulvar health. Of 558 abstracts of potential interest, 21 met all the inclusion criteria, consisting of 11 studies of female sexual dysfunction, nine on pelvic floor dysfunction, and one on vulvodynia. From a science perspective, the studies of sexual dysfunction showed that vibratory stimulation facilitated vasodilation and blood flow, improved tissue perfusion and metabolism, decreased muscle tone, and increased relaxation. Clinically, use of vibrators was associated with significant improvement in the Female Sexual Function Index score (P Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

Future Of Intimacy: Sex Bots, Virtual Reality, And Smart Sex Toys - Forbes

Now that we have intelligent lightbulbs, doorbells, refrigerators, and more, it was only a matter of time before our most primal and intimate lives became smarter through artificial intelligence. Since sextech was allowed to exhibit at CES 2020 among the health and wellness vendors instead of denied entry or tucked away in the back as in years past, technology intended to augment the human sexual experience might just be on the verge of going mainstream. As more and more people invite artificial intelligence into their bedrooms and most intimate experiences, let’s review the possibilities as well as perils that might bring. Future Of Intimacy: Sex Bots, Virtual Reality, And Smart Sex Toys Adobe Stock More Than Sex Bots Creators of science fiction have imagined a future where human-like sex robots rule human sexual experience. However, sextech is more than just sex bots. According to an interview with sextech expert and founder of the Future of Sex Bryony Cole, “sexuality really encompasses everything from orgasms and pleasure and relationships to education, health, crimes, assault reporting, medicine and gender identity” across sexual identities and preferences. Sextech is a $30 billion industry today, but according to an analysis report, the industry should grow to $52.7 billion by 2026 with a huge assist from online sales. Companies are feverishly working to innovate the most intriguing products that have an intelligent response for sexual activity to take advantage of this expected growth. These products do include sex bots such as Harmony, a robotic version of a silicone sex toy made by RealDoll, but also app-connected, smart vibrators, stimulators, and massagers; personalized porn; virtual reality and augmented sexual experiences; and more. Smart Sex Toys Artificial intelligence in sex toys aims to achieve similar objectives as products in other industries—learn from data gathered by sensors to elevate and improve the experience as well as personalize it. And, as in other industries, the companies that use technology to create a stellar product or service will have higher sales. From Lioness, the award-winning smart vibrator created by women and referred to as the FitBit for a woman’s orgasm, and Osé, an award-winning robotic sex device “designed to mimic the best kinds of human touch,” smart sex toys are responsible for incredible innovation. Many of these companies are led by women who address sexuality with new voices and concerns. Most of these toys are connected to smartphones via apps that let users learn more about their sexuality and sexual preferences. There are also gadgets for men and couples, even some that provide benefits when couples aren’t together. Sex in Virtual Reality While there are questions about the long-term consequences of allowing people to live out whatever sexual fantasy they have via artificial intelligence and what that may or may do to their real-life interactions with human partners, virtual reality offers a way to explore sexuality safely. Virtual reality sexual experiences are today more realistic than ever before, and many offer haptics (the sensation of touch). Virtual reality technology is developing rapidly creating very realistic experiences. The sexual experiences available through virtual reality will continue to become more immersive in the future. Many of these VR experiences can also be combined with other online devices. With this new technology, those in committed relationships will have to determine new boundaries with one another. Is exploring sex in a virtual reality a safe way to experiment, or is it considered cheating? What if you engage in sex with your partner while augmenting reality so that your partner looks like someone else? The comfort level and boundaries of these experiences will need to be discussed among partners to establish what enhances the relationship rather than harms it. Realistic Sex Robots While you can see sextech is much more than sex robots, the reality is that much progress has been made to create sex robots that are very realistic and that you can customize. There are companies that are almost ready to unveil robots that seem to have a heartbeat and can mimic breathing. Ultimately, they are working on having sex dolls interact and communicate with partners as if they were human. RealDoll, makers of Harmony and other versions for men and women, offer technologically advanced AI-driven robots that can blink, move, and more. While these bots are available with a hefty price tag, Matt McMullen founder of RealDoll expects to have no shortage of customers. Artificial intelligence and advanced technology have opened up a new world for healthy sexual expression, education, and knowledge, albeit it does present some new challenges that need to be considered. The comfort and willingness for committed partners to explore their sexual fantasies through AI might cross boundaries. Whether sex with AI is understood and allowed or allowed at what level will come down to each couple's comfort level and understanding. Could AI create unrealistic expectations for human interaction, or do they provide an acceptable outlet for sexual transgressions and exploration not appropriate in real life? As with any new frontier, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer here. In fact, there will likely be negatives along with the positives this technology offers. If you would like to learn more about technology trends, then have a look at my new books: Tech Trends in Practice: The 25 Technologies That Are Driving The 4th Industrial Revolution and The Intelligence Revolution: Transforming Your Business With AI. Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

This UK-based Ukrainian woman entrepreneur is building a revolutionary futurist and transhumanist sex tech startup - YourStory

Angelina Aleksandrovich was fascinated by technology and its capabilities to work with elements in nature to create exciting innovations. Working on nature’s capabilities, she grew a VR headset out of mushroom mycelium for her graduation project. This project landed her a career in Extended Reality (XR) -  an umbrella term used to describe immersive technologies that can merge the physical and virtual worlds. It combines all the immersive technologies — augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) plus those that are still to be created. 

Angelina Aleksandrovich She worked in a VR production company creating multi sensory brand experiences including spatial audio, scents and temperature control for big brands. In 2018, while going through her hard drive she stumbled upon photos of her work from her Art Foundation degree in Fine Arts: Sculpture in Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London (UAL). It reminded her of her passion, the subject of human sexuality. She wanted to renew her long lost interest with a cool project that combined her tech and production expertise, but ended up creating Raspberry Dream Labs (RDL), a collective creating innovative multi-sensory solutions for for sexual experiences using XR tech.Though Angelina’s official role at RDL is founder and creative director, but like many early-stage startups she also fills in other roles like producer, digital designer, 3d artist, social and marketing manager.

Following a passion

When she was growing up, her parents took a different track altogether when it came to explaining about the birds and bees. They would tell her she was found in a cabbage or a stork dropped her off. Lacking early sex education in school and hearing stories like this, Angelina was always interested in understanding the truth about sex and sexuality. Being a child in Ukraine in the late 90s and early 2000s, didn’t help Angelina understand the subject. “Discovering myself as a sexual being as an early teenager wasn’t warmly welcomed by my peers – when I was 12, I looked, felt (and acted) like a fully formed, grown-up woman, and of course, I was subjected to giggles, nasty jokes, and dirty comments,” says the 26-year-old founder. After moving to the UK, she found refuge in art often using her body as the primary tool for art making. She followed up her art degree with a Graphic Design Communication degree. In her art career, predominantly sculpture and performing arts, she explored ideas of feminism, gender, identity, robotics, sci-fi and sex.

Transhumanist and futurist vision 

Describing herself, Angelina says, “I am a futurist and transhumanist specialising in creative storytelling through extended reality (XR) tech.”Transhumanism, Angelina explains, is “a philosophical movement that advocates for the transformation of the human condition by developing and making widely available sophisticated technologies to greatly enhance human intellect and physiology”.  RDL’s aim is not to replace human sexual relationships with technological solutions, but to enhance and expand them beyond physiology and create a new era of limitless experiences. Her futurist and transhumanist vision forms the core of RDL, which investigates the potential of humans' multi-sensory capacity through academic research and immersive experiences and improves the relationship people have with their own sexuality, themselves, and others. It also works to break the taboos concerning sexuality and create a healthy sex-positive future by introducing a new era of sexual experiences that are no longer restricted by the limitations of the human body. To create this, RDL is currently working on three different projects. One, Sensory Seduction, which is an on-going artistic research exploring the nature of multi-sensory sexual arousal and how it can be shared between multiple individuals in XR. The startup has created Raspberry Dream Land, a work-in-progress all-inclusive VR universe made out of thematic islands, a hub for VR Sex Tech and RDL’s virtual headquarters. Another project, the UNSENSORED series is a community centred project that helps initiate conversations about sex that are body-positive, consent-positive and bring back focus on sexual wellness.  The series features four types of events, which help disrupt existing taboos and stigma around sex not only in physical reality but also in the virtual. The UNSENSORED talks are bi-monthly mini-conferences presenting multiple facets of sextech. The UNSENSORED chats are bi-weekly sharing circle where people meet in VR Raspberry Dream Land world to talk, share, listen and learn from others about all aspects of physical and virtual sex. The UNSENSORED works are interactive online workshops to boil up fantasy and spice up senses. The fourth event is UNSENSORED nights which are unique sex-positive parties for like-minded individuals to engage in immersive entertainment and performances extending sexual experiences with the use of technology. 

Challenges and censorship

Angelina throws light on two constant challenges most sextech brands face - limited access to funds and advertisement censorship. Polly Rodriguez, the co-founder of Unbound, a New York based sextech had earlier told HerStory about similar censorship on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Expounding on the circumstances of this kind of censorship, Angelina says, “The cis white male patriarchal system, in which we currently are, doesn’t support the diversity of sexual expression and attempts to suppress female-founded brands that are dedicated to revolutionise sexual health and wellness industries with innovative ideas and products.” Angelina says that not long after creating accounts and publishing a few posts on Facebook owned platforms, they got shadowbanned on both Instagram and Facebook, which means that their content is partially blocked from a wider online community. New users are not able to find them through organic search and their posts won’t appear in the “explore” tab as a recommendation based on the user’s interests. In addition to that, they are banned from creating paid ads on both platforms, as the content is classified as ‘sensitive’ and ‘violates community guidelines’. “This is absurd, as the platform allows ads related to erectile dysfunction, but unfairly bans ads for women’s pleasure,” adds Angelina. 

The way ahead 

The global coronavirus pandemic has proved to be a silver lining for the sex tech industry. Angelina agrees that it has led many people who previously did not consider sexual wellness apps, teledeldonics and VR simulators, to start finding relief in these to help build intimacy in isolation. “I’m pleased to see the growing demand and interest in this field from a wider community worldwide. Finally, people get to experience how technology can extend our intimacy and perhaps make new sex tech positive habbits,” Angelina says.Angelina began the startup with money from her savings and borrowing on her credit card, which was not a lot and hence, most of her projects have a DIY vibe. She says the startup makes enough revenue to keep them afloat but in order to expand and launch a variety of projects, they need to seek external funding in the future. Speaking about future developments, she says RDL is currently working on bringing the concept of UNSENSORED nights into VR, expanding its virtual world and building a WebXR platform to host it. She hopes to start the second phase of Sensory Seduction research once the social distancing measures are lifted. Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

The Future of Male Sextech Sounds Like a Bike Pump - Gizmodo

Photo: John Biggs/GizmodoThe Arcwave Ion, a new sex toy from a company called Wow Tech, promises a different kind of male orgasm. They deliver... kind of. BTW, friends, this review is NSFW.Wow Tech makes the disgustingly-named Womanizer, a popular ladies toy that uses vibration and suction to directly stimulate the clitoris. The product, which took the world by storm a few years ago, changed the traditional penetrative style of female sex toys and instead focused on one single body part. The result, I’m told, is interesting.The $199 Arcwave tries to do the same thing by focusing primarily on the frenulum, the little spot under the head of the penis. Because Wow Tech apparently likes this suction thing, the Arcwave consists of a sleeve with a hole on the underside. To use it you place your Seth Thomas into the sleeve and turn it on. Unlike Tenga jars and other simulators, the vibration happens in one place and is uniform. The device basically pulls and vibrates a single spot on your penis. When it doesn’t sense suction, it turns off completely. But when it’s on, it sounds like a little electric bike pump. You can change it to silent mode to reduce the overall noise, and there are controls for intensity. As it stands, however, the device basically does one thing for as long as it senses an appendage. To clean the Arcwave, you simply twist off the sleeve and rinse it. An included charger also acts as a drying station.G/O Media may get a commission

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Arcwave Ion

What is it?

A unique twist on the classic male sex toy.

Like

Worth a try simply for the novelty of the pneumatic system.

Dislike

The main gimmick—suction—may not be your thing.How does it feel? The Arcwave offers a fairly unique type of orgasm. Because male sextech is pretty much mired in the concept of holes that buzz, this is a welcome change. I tried it a few times and can report that this is far less energetic than any other device I’ve tried and far quieter. Because it’s just a soft little buzz, you won’t feel like the neighbors can hear you 3D printing yourself, and because there’s no motion you can basically sit back and let it work.As for the claim that the orgasms are “better,” I can’t quite agree. The orgasms are definitely different, and it is absolutely great that this company is rethinking male pleasure. I’ve tried a few of these devices, and each one has its pluses and minuses. I can’t report that this device left me super pleased, but your experience may vary.Photo: John Biggs/GizmodoTo get acquainted with the Arcwave’s unique experience, the company recommends trying it three or four times, which I did. The overall stimulation is fairly limited, and the idea that frenulum stimulation is enough to change your orgasms is charming if a little ambitious. Again, I’m sure there are guys out there who will enjoy this, just as I know there are women who swear by the Womanizer. The Arcwave Ion is a good idea in a very classy package but, as they say, different strokes (or non-strokes) for different folks.README- The Arcwave Ion flips the script when it comes to sex toys. - Instead of energetic motion, the device focuses on one nerve-filled part of your Beast’s Castle. - It’s a fun and fine device if a little pricey at $199. Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

Why sex tech was the biggest deal at this year's CES - Sydney Morning Herald

"You may be wondering, 'Why would anyone want to wear a vibrator out?'," says Chang.MysteryVibe co-founder Soumyadip Rakshit.Credit:Peter Wells"But the magic of this product is that women are wearing this out, and they’re instagramming the crap out of it, and it’s great so many women are embracing their pleasure, owning it. They're telling us they feel empowered, but also these products are enabling them to start conversations with their friends and their lovers that they otherwise would not have had."I feel shame has always been part of the sex toy experience, because of the looks, because of the size. Oftentimes people feel like right after they use their toys to have to hide it, they have to stash it somewhere.And I think that is a horrible user experience. We just don't think there's any room for shame or embarrassment in the experience of pleasure.”Across from Crave sat the low-key booth of MysteryVibe, a company founded by two engineers looking for a way for long-term couples to keep some mystery in the bedroom."I've been married for 15 years, my co-founder for 26 years, so our products aim to address the pain points common to anyone who's been in a relationship for ages," says co-founder Soumyadip Rakshit.Myhixel is a gamified sex aid for men.Credit:Peter Wells"We start with really great tech, and then bring in external advice of our health and medical partners to create products that help couples have better sex."Ana Sanchez of Myhixel stressed her product was not strictly for pleasure, rather it was an FDA approved medical device for treating premature ejaculation. The device has been developed with a sex therapist, and includes a 12-week training course for men looking to "better understand and control their ejaculation".Myhixel’s commitment to privacy was impressive; despite an online course being part of the program, Myhixel never asks for any personal details; online identities are instead a random string of numbers in each box, with all data stored locally on a user’s device and immediately deleted from servers after each connection. Many mainstream tech companies could learn from this.Satisfyer’s Vanessa Palestino.Credit:Peter WellsSatisfyer’s bright and friendly-looking booth could be mistaken for an Instagram competitor, but inside it displayed a range of "touchless" vibrators that can be controlled with an app, which according to Vanessa Palestino allows couples to stay connected sexually even if one person is in Dubai and another is in Berlin.With an internet-connected app involved, Palestino made it clear privacy was a major concern, explaining users never need to enter an email address or phone number to use the app and connect to others.Palestino had nothing but praise for her competitors, providing a list of some of her favourite booths to visit on the show floor. These included Ergo-fit, Lora DiCarlo and OhMiBod."Everybody in our industry, we're very close, we're good friends," she said. "What happened to Lora DiCarlo last year really opened the floodgates to CES for all of us, and it's an honour to see all our competitors and friends here today. Because sexual health really is part of your overall health. We've already booked our booth for 2021."LoadingAs for Lora DiCarlo's device, a robotic massager called Ose which promises "blended orgasms" thanks to simultaneous internal and external stimulation, it was back on the show floor this year. Created by a former Navy officer with the help of anatomical research and robotics experts, what was a prototype in 2019 is now a ready-to-ship product, with the company taking its first pre-orders at CES.The author travelled to Las Vegas as a guest of Uber. Read the full article

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[sextechnews]

Sex toy sales have skyrocketed, so why are startups screwed? - The Hustle

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