Page 56 - AVN July 2017

FEATURE
FEATURE | By Sherri L. Shaulis
KITTY STRYKER is a queer porn performer
and editor of “Ask: Building Consent Culture.”
JON PRESSICK contributes articles to
Kinkly.com, FutureOfSex.net and
CherryBanana.com. Twitter: @SexInWords.
Jon Pressick: As a big fan of finding pleasure where you can,
the opportunity to leverage any kind of device is a revelation—
particularly in partnered situations. There is a big fear that adding
more technology to our lives, including more fucking machines,
will dehumanize us, take away our vital connection to touch. I fear
that NOT adding these devices will dehumanize us more. It is goes
back to pleasure. Sophisticated sex toys offer us great feelings,
while we are in the same room with our partners or whether we’re
across the planet. And I think spreading those feelings will be the
greatest benefit. There is some onus on the users to ensure that
pleasure then transfers to other instances, such as foreplay and
aftercare, but I am less worried about that because I do think it
will, inherently, happen.
Sunny Rodgers: When I think of today’s sex machines I think of
how many ménage à trois and double penetration fantasies can
now be fulfilled for so many people. And that a person with a sex
machine can enjoy a great solo sex session instead of a hazardous
hook-up.
Jason McCoy: Many pros to state—top of the list is long-lasting
sexual experience. … You don’t have to hear “How is that feeling
… you good?” “Are you almost there?” “Should I speed up or slow
down?” … You can simply control the speed with a controller.
Pleasing yourself will never be the same. Many of the newer
machines are built with lightweight material and are very versatile;
some even come equipped with a travel bag, iPad/camera holders
or suction cup bases to place anywhere. Cons: Price can sometimes
be a factor, but for a reliable companion that can pound to your
wishes, what would you pay?
Bethany Stevens: In terms of impact on partner relationship,
it seems there is always a fear that a toy can replace something
pivotal and intimate with partner/s; however, if we can just
reframe pleasure as a beautiful thing to witness and to be a part of,
much of the shame or discontent can ease away. I routinely use sex
toys in my sex life, both with my wife and solo. ... I think of toys,
love gloves and lube all as additives to our sex, nothing to feel cons
about.
What effect do you think technology will have on
pleasure products in the next five years?
Tom Nardone: I think that on the far end of that five years we
might see some type of sex robot or more interactive doll. These
may be high-priced products for a select few men. In the same
stratosphere as RealDoll. Otherwise, I suspect women will
continue to masturbate with nice vibrators that are not hooked up
to anything and men will predominantly use their hand.
Shep Sheppard: Technology is only limited by our imaginations.
The more people use technology with sex, the more open the
minds will become in dreaming up new uses. There was a time
when phone sex was the most technologically advanced sex. Now
there is an array of options.
Dr. Sadie Allison: I think we will see trends all over the board
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similar to mainstream tech. The barrier to entry is low for the pleasure products industry, and it's
fairly easy for outsiders with an engineering or design background to test the market with new
products. We've already seen start-up companies fund their manufacturing through websites like
Kickstarter. Like any industry, the better products stick around and the ones that don't work or
are too tech-heavy to really be functional fade away. Tech products will become more refined as
more businesses crop up in the pleasure product space and new companies learn from the past
mistakes of others. … One type of technology that is really taking off at a fast pace is virtual reality.
Currently, there are only products like this for men, such as masturbators that link up to porn
movies and VR goggles, but eventually versions for women will probably pop up. As more ethical
and feminist porn becomes more available, more female viewers are taking an interest in it, and
they're going to want to join in on the fun.
Kitty Stryker: I genuinely believe that pleasure products are going to move away from
heteronormativity as technology gains more influence. People are using tech to explore their
sexualities in ways that defy constraint, which is fantastic.
Kenna Cook: Sex tech is the next big thing. Whether that is creating sex toys that are smart
devices and USB-compatible for collecting your own "pleasure data," offering custom apps and
online social communities for the fetish world, or making a viable online market for sex workers,
sex will only get better with technology.
Ken Melvoin-Berg: I think tech is going to be the forefront of the next big discovery in sex toys.
You can only replicate so much of what already exists as far as materials, vibrations, mechanical
patterns, etc. Research and development is critical to the next wave of sex toys.
Ashley Manta: I think we're only just (in the past five years or so) seeing the tip of the iceberg
with sex technology. I suspect we're going to see an even bigger move toward rechargeable or
hybrid rechargeable battery technologies. … I could also see a move toward open-source sex toy
development, both for apps and the toys themselves, where companies might take a page out of the
IT’S FAIRLY EASY FOR OUTSIDERS
WITH AN ENGINEERING OR DESIGN
BACKGROUND TO TEST THE
MARKET WITH NEW PRODUCTS.
—DR. SADIE ALLISON
Tesla or Wordpress or Firefox playbook and encourage savvy users to improve existing technology.
Jon Pressick: The five-year plan is going to be twofold: delivery and penis-focused products. Tech
will be advanced to bring VR and connect it to great toys. And the toys that are going to truly
dominate R&D are going to be penis-focused ones. I’m surprised this hasn’t happened more, really.
I’m not totally up on current stats, but I would hazard the main consumers of sex products are still
folks with penises, most often identifying as men. But, this demographic has been served with poor
excuses of toys for years and years. Finally, Fleshlight got noticed and others have been coming
on board: Kiiroo, Hot Octopuss, Vorze, etc. And they’re just going to get better. And, then there’s
prostate pleasure ...
Jason McCoy: In five years I only see technology gaining more traction. I see manufacturers
simplifying their technology so Baby Boomers will be able to use with ease. I hope to see more non-
gender technology to incorporate all needs. I also see warranties becoming more of a talking point,
mainly due to the fact that app upgrades, rechargeable batteries and storing personal information
on servers will become the new norm. Lastly, I feel that we are centric in the growth and direction
of the industry and with these conversations we are able to better tailor toward the end user.
Sunny Rodgers: Honestly, I believe pleasure products technology is leading toward sex robots,
androids, Life Model Decoys (LMDs), or whatever you wish to call them. I think all the technology
being introduced now is moving our industry toward creating artificial sex partners that look
human. What’s funny is there’s a 1987 movie called Cherry 2000 in which a man has an animatronic
wife and the year in the movie is 2017. Do you ever wonder if Rosy the Robot was just the
maid in The Jetsons? That is far in the future; for now I think we are going to see current features
and products get better and better: stronger vibrations, more ergonomic dildos, more lifelike
masturbators. Each year we make improvements and at the same time the cultural acceptance of
the category grows.
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