Page 53 - AVN July 2017

FEATURE
I THINK WE’RE GOING TO SEE A
LOT OF HILARIOUSLY BAD TOYS
BEING MADE.
—DIRTY LOLA
A dozen professionals peer into the future of high-tech toys
There has been an explosion in more
sophisticated toys to enhance sex. What do you
think is the next frontier for these types of toys?
Dr. Sadie Allison: Sex education is going mainstream, and sex toys
are coming right along with it. … Modern sex toy buyers seek a
sophisticated experience similar to shopping for a smart phone
or a laptop, and this is why we're seeing more sleek, clean and
artistic designs come out on the market. I think sex toy trends
will continue to mirror what's popular in mainstream tech, art
and fashion. Women aren't afraid to talk about self-pleasure any
more, and owning sex toys is part of that empowering experience.
They want an attractive product that they can proudly display on
their nightstand along with their jewelry and cosmetics. This trend
stands for men as well. The same guy who seeks out the latest
iPhone and similar life-simplifying technology will want the same
level of quality and aesthetics in his sex toys.
Jon Pressick: The expansion of VR is where we are at, and
combining it with sex toys is going to be the big focus for a while.
Sex robots have a certain cachet, but some significant advances
in tech and society will need to happen before folks really buy in
there. So, in the meantime, making VR look better, more diverse
and then improving the headsets and delivery methods will be
what the porn and sex toy worlds come together to work on. And
that togetherness is the key. It is happening already, but a seamless
delivery through hardware that incorporates a great toy will blow
minds and make a fortune.
Jason McCoy: Manufacturers are becoming very intuitive when it
comes to tech and play today. It’s like walking into a Toys-R-Us for
adults if you are in the right place. VR has had tremendous growth
over the past few years with little to no signs on slowing down.
The time is now if you want to pioneer with this technology.
Sunny Rodgers: One thing I’ve noticed is that as intimate
products become more sophisticated in functionality, the more
beautiful they are also becoming. As with the path of almost any
high-priced luxury product, the price is linked to the adoption
curve of technology and consumer demand. Many manufacturers
will work to make the technology more affordable so that more
people will have the opportunity to use them. I also think
functionality will continue to increase. … While the ergonomics of
human pleasure hasn’t changed we are looking more at different
sensations, shapes and textures and how those interact with the
body. While there will always be the classics (hello, rabbits),
more and more technology-focused products will be created with
multiple purposes.
Kitty Stryker: I’m very excited for VR porn. The idea that people
can become someone totally different for a time is thrilling,
especially when it comes to playing with gender. I'm excited to see
VR porn working hand in hand with teledildonics to create better
visual/physical experiences. I hope they'll develop these things for
women, not just men!
Ashley Manta: Voice-controlled technology seems to be the
next big thing, with things like Google Home and Amazon Echo
growing ever more popular. I suspect there may eventually be
voice-controlled toys—where you could say something like
“harder” or “faster” and have the toy respond in real time to
your commands, rather than having to hit a button on the toy or
remote.
Ken Melvoin-Berg: There are a few things that people are working
on as far as increasing power supply to make it more convenient
for a longer recharge or the source of the energy is easier to apply.
USB-powered vibrators are a great example of this. I think an
increase in motor placement and motor strength is being utilized
for things that vibrate and oscillate. I am really looking forward to
the time when they can utilize nano technology and use a group
of microbots (tiny robots) to simulate the feeling of real vaginas
or penises. Enhancement in materials is another field to explore.
BETHANY STEVENS is a wheelchair-using
queer sexologist and doctoral student. Find
more at CripConfessions.com.
ASHLEY MANTA is a sexuality educator and
CannaSexual.
DIRTY LOLA, host of Sex Ed A Go-Go, dubs
herself a “sex edutainer.”
Something that is a non-permeable substance and has the feel of human tissue. Silicone toys are
close, but not quite there yet.
Bethany Stevens: More hands-free products and more “smart” toys will be available that are easily
charged and more in tune with orgasmic paths of all gendered bodies. I can see masturbatory tools
increasing in their skill and possibly going down in price. More toys synced with phones or other
people will be fantastic. The hands-free trend … is not just a big win for folks who want to be held
down or otherwise use their hands in different ways. It will also make these toys more accessible for
folks with arthritis and other dexterity barriers. The baby boomers aging into this kind of pain will
be a great resource for sex manufacturers and designers, as they will demand more accessible tools.
Kenna Cook: I think the next frontier of sex toys will be toys for trans bodies. Buck Angel released
the Buck-Off this year, a trans male masturbation enhancement toy, but I see technology helping to
meld sensation and stimulation for trans bodies to feel pleasure in a way that is more innate and
less artificial. These toys will help with connecting the mind and bodies of trans men and women to
feel more comfortable and get to know themselves more intimately in a way that feels truer to how
they want to experience pleasure—meaning that trans men don't want to buy sex toys marketed to
cis women.
Tom Nardone: I think the next front is a pullback from things like teledildonics and a push to make
easier-to-use toys. I expect the full return of the on/off button. That is what I think the customer
would really like. When industry experts cannot figure out how to turn a toy on or off, I think there
is a problem. I think that simpler-to-use toys are the future.
Shep Sheppard: I think the real next frontier in these types of toys are dual pleasure toys, meaning
an insertable toy for one partner while the other partner has a wearable one. Using an app, one
partner can control what both partners feel.
Dirty Lola: They become sentient and try to take over the world! LOL. I think the next step will
be improving on what they've started. There are so many new toys out there that do really cool
things, but the truth is none of them are perfect. They all have things to improve on. I want to see
these companies applying this tech to making toys work for my body types. I'd love to see more
being done to accommodate folks with disabilities. There are a lot of niches that need to be filled.
Someone needs to fill them with their high-tech toys.
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FEATURE | By Sherri L. Shaulis
7.17 | AVN.com | 53