This high-tech sex toy syncs its vibrations to music

Every once in a while, you’ll see a crowd gathering around the corner of the CES show floor around high-tech sex toys. This year, what caught my eye was The Handy, an automatic masturbator, mostly because it moved in a way that I wouldn’t expect to see in polite company, let alone a public showroom. But right next to it is Oh!, a $149.95 toy due out later this spring that has me saying, “Oh?”

Both sex toys are manufactured by Norwegian sex technology company Ohdoki. The Handy is an electric device that moves up and down to simulate masturbation with a penis, and it’s easily the flashier of the two. One look, oh! As far as vibrators go, it’s pretty low-profile.The difference is that how It vibrates.

Most vibrators are simple unbalanced motors attached to a circuit board and battery, housed in a cylinder. On the contrary, oh! Uses the same linear resonant actuator (LRA) motor as the PlayStation controller. LRA motors work similarly to how speakers produce sound waves, making them ideal for creating tactile feedback. This allows the user to control the frequency and amplitude of vibrations. Frequency refers to how fast! Vibration, while amplitude controls intensity. This means you can create your own custom vibrations along these two dimensions, rather than preset patterns. (You can see how it works more clearly in the video below.)

Another unique feature is Oh! is that it can be used with various content platforms. In the booth, oh!The vibrator is paired with Spotify and if you put it to your ear you can hear the song playing and Feel it! Vibrate in sync with music. During my demonstration, I could both hear Kylie Minogue’s thumping dance number and confirm Oh! Buzzing with bass. When the beat drops, oh! Everything it had was buzzing. Basically, oh! It is a vibrator driven by sound waves.

As for Why You might want to do this, but one tip from Ohdoki CEO and co-founder JP Wilhelmsen is to create your own “bow chika wow wow” playlist. Another use case could be to provide a more immersive experience for those who like to watch adult content in VR.

Wilhemsen said this is part of Ohdoki’s attempt to build his own Handyverse. “What we do is sell hardware and accessories, and then provide the platform and IoT infrastructure for partners to connect through our API.” He then mentioned the company’s partnership with adult content site Naughty America. Naughty America can create content and then synchronize it with The Handy or Oh! via API to make that content interactive.

oh! You can also work interactively with The Handy. Both devices can also be controlled remotely to help long-distance couples stay connected, or to help people with limited dexterity or mobility use the devices.

But all this raises an eternal issue on the Dong Internet: privacy.

“We don’t collect any personal data and we are subject to European GDPR regulations,” Wilhemsen told me. “Basically the only thing we track is contacts. Last month, for example, we had over half a million online sessions.”

Wilmson further clarified that The Handy and Oh! connect to your phone via Bluetooth, but claimed that no personal data is collected or sent to any server. You also don’t need to create an account of any kind to use the device. However, if you want to use any sex toy in the Handyverse, you must also agree to that third party’s terms and services.those partners possible Your personal information is collected, but this is normal for any health technology gadget and API integration.

Perhaps what I appreciated most was that visiting the Ohdoki booth felt like visiting any other booth at the show. (Okay, maybe a little more buzz.) Sex tech has had a rocky history at CES, especially in 2019 when the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) awarded and then rescinded Lora DiCarlo’s Osé Sex Toy Innovation Award this award. After facing backlash, the CTA later reversed its decision and the following year dedicated an area at the show dedicated to sex tech. In the years since, sex tech’s presence at trade shows has been hit or miss, especially in the virtual age. But everyone in the sex tech industry is demanding to be treated like other tech companies. At least in Ohdoki’s booth, that feels generally right.