Sex technology

Sex technology, also called sex-tech or sextech, is technology and technology-driven ventures that are designed to enhance, innovate, or otherwise change human sexuality and/or the human sexual experience.[1] Use of the term was propagated online by Cindy Gallop from MLNP and is associated with an advancement of the Digital Revolution from 2010 and its impact on society and culture. It is often used in conjunction or interchangeably with the term 'teledildonics' referring to the remote connection between Bluetooth enabled sex toys that use haptic feedback to reciprocate or mimic human, sexual interaction.[2] However, teledildonics is far more representative of Bluetooth-enabled sex toys and captures the technological capacities of its time whereas sex-technology is rooted in more modern discourse.[3] As such, the word sex-tech is an umbrella term used to describe multiple technologies spanning from VR porn, health and sexual wellness platform or app-based technology, Bluetooth enabled sex toys, pornography video scripting, remote sex interfaces and sex robots.[2]

While still nascent, sextech has seen a recent boom in mainstream acceptance due to a big push from female-led firms in the space.[4] Notable individuals include Cindy Gallop (Founder and CEO of MLNP), Polly Rodriguez (Co-founder and CEO of Unbound), Alex Fine and Janet Lieberman (Co-founders of Dame Products), Andrea Barrica (Founder and CEO of O.School), Liz Klinger and Anna Lee (Co-founders of Lioness), Kate Moyle (Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist at Pillow Play), Dr. Soumyadip Rakshit and Stephanie Alys (Co-founders of MysteryVibe[5]), Dr. Kate Devlin from Goldsmiths University, Maxine Lynn (sextech attorney,[6] and CEO of Stript Erotic Designs), and journalists including Alix Fox, Nichi Hodgson, Rebecca Newman, Gigi Engle, Bryony Cole, Suzannah Weiss, Joseph Seon Kim, Hallie Lieberman, and GirlOnTheNet.

Sextech entrepreneur Andrea Barrica estimated the market at $30 billion in 2018, with $800 million coming from Amazon sales.[4] Sextech has a long history,[7] and social norms towards it are changing,[8] contributing to the explosive growth.

Impact
  1. Pornography[9]
  2. Pleasure[9]
  3. New kinds of sex[9]
  4. New Ways To Meet Partners[9]
  5. New Kinds Of Partners[9]
  6. New Ways To Coordinate Hook Ups[9]

Advantages
  1. Possibility of sexual enlightenment[10]
  2. Stronger relationships[11]
  3. Female-friendly[12]
  4. Cure for loneliness[13]
  5. Better sex[14]

Criticism
  1. Risk of addiction[15]
  2. Cyber-risk[16]
  3. Unnecessary or unlawful collection and use of sensitive personal data[17]
  4. Potential for harm and inequality caused by sex robots[18]

See also

References
  1. Gallop, Cindy (2015-05-26). "What is sextech and why is everyone ignoring it?". HotTopics.ht. Retrieved 2021-03-10.
  2. Cheok, Adrian David; Zhang, Emma Yann (2019), Cheok, Adrian David; Zhang, Emma Yann (eds.), "Sex and a History of Sex Technologies", Human–Robot Intimate Relationships, Human–Computer Interaction Series, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 23–32, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-94730-3_2, ISBN 978-3-319-94730-3, S2CID 150720850, retrieved 2020-10-20
  3. Flore, Jacinthe; Pienaar, Kiran (2020-08-10). "Data-driven intimacy: emerging technologies in the (re)making of sexual subjects and 'healthy' sexuality". Health Sociology Review. 29 (3): 279–293. doi:10.1080/14461242.2020.1803101. ISSN 1446-1242. PMID 33411600. S2CID 225069071.
  4. Barrica, Andrea (1 November 2018). "How Women Made Sextech The Next Great Frontier for Growth". Forbes.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2018.
  5. Geddes, Linda (2023-06-09). "'Between pleasure and health': how sex-tech firms are reinventing the vibrator". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  6. XBIZ. "WIA Profile: Maxine Lynn". XBIZ. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  7. XBIZ. "Sex Toy Patents Reveal History, Evolution of Pleasure Products". XBIZ. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  8. XBIZ. "Sex Toy Patents Tell Story of Evolving Social Norms". XBIZ. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  9. Smith, Catharine (10 June 2010). "7 Ways Tech Is Changing Sex (PHOTOS)". HuffPost.
  10. Krotoski, Aleks (5 February 2011). "What effect has the internet had on our sex lives?" – via The Guardian.
  11. "How tech is taking over your orgasm".
  12. Sollee, Kristen. "7 Awesome Sex Tech Innovations From 2015".
  13. Gurley, George (16 April 2015). "Is This the Dawn of the Sexbots? (NSFW)". Vanity Fair. No. May.
  14. "Why Sex Is Going To Be Ridiculously Awesome In The Future". Buzzfeed.
  15. Palet, Laura Secorun. "The Future of Sex Tech Looks Awesome/Terrifying".
  16. "How to hack a sex toy: tech firms warn public on growing cyber-risks". Reuters. 15 March 2017.
  17. "Sextech: Sticky Legal Issues?". 20 February 2017.
  18. "About". 12 September 2015.

Further reading
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