According to Lisa Peyton, a technology journalist for VentureBeat, ‘hyper-real’ intimiate experiences are one of ‘ten ambitious predictions for how AR and VR will shape our world‘. She quotes a sex therapist – Dr Holly Richmond – who is also a writer hoping to ‘normalize sex tech’, who believes that eventually most first dates and even sexual experienes will happen in the virtual world.
How we connect intimately and sexually, with others as well as ourselves, will be dramatically different in 20 years. Dr. Holly Richmond, Ph.D. and practicing sex therapist, believes that “most first dates and first sexual experiences will happen virtually, the term “digisexual” will be ubiquitous, and the idea of sex positivity will finally transcend the technology bias it has previously and currently been up against. Richmond is working to normalize the sex tech industry and her soon to be published book, Next-Sex, delivers research and insights into how technology is bringing us closer together.
Companies like Kiiroo and WeVibe are working to create extremely realistic immersive intimate experiences. Kiiroo CTO, Maurice Op de Beek, believes we’ll achieve hyper-real, sexual experiences in our lifetime. Other technology companies are developing software and hardware to help expand today’s VR experience beyond the HMD. Tobii, is working on eye-tracking capabilities which according to Richmond, will produce a much more connected and intimate experience. While HardLight VR has developed a haptic body-suit allowing users to actually feel what’s happening within a virtual experience. You can read more about technology and the future of sex in my recent post, The technological evolution of love, connection and intimacy.
