Policymaker promotes pleasure education for a healthier, happier citizenry

As we now know, a progressive member of Britain’s Labor Party, Samantha Niblett MP, recently announced her commitment to improving the sexual health and literacy of all citizens, kicking off an education campaign she—and sexpert Cindy Gallop—call the “Summer of Sex.” To facilitate discussion, Niblett plans to bring sex toys to a session of the House of Commons, assuming there are no security concerns to prevent the brandishing of such objects.

PoliticsHome said Niblett has already reached out to a number of sexperts and sex entrepreneurs, including Lovehoney, an adult products retailer. Lovehoney’s Beginner’s Guide to Sex Toys does a great job of introducing various kinds of toys, reasons for using them, and a host of other things a nervous toy newbie might want to know. So if MPs desire to know more beyond MP Niblett’s presentation, they’ve got a ready source of additional information. They might have to look at it from home, though.

Most of the following suggestions are gleaned from recent sex toy reviews published here in Future of Sex.

Lelo Enigma Double Sonic Massager for bodies with clits and vaginas

Thanks to this toy, I have two standard-sized book boxes (12”x12”) filled with toys that I hardly ever touch now. It’s because this versatile and powerful toy does it all, and does it so well!

I deeply appreciated a previous model, Enigma Wave, billed as a “triple-action sonic massager” and sometimes I bring it out again for old times’ sake, but it’s noisier and works somewhat differently than the newer Enigma Double Sonic. Each toy has a “tail” which is inserted into the vagina, as well as a clitoral stimulator that delivers sonic waves to just the right spot—though because all bodies are different, you have to adjust your placement to get it just right. The older model’s tail rotates in a sort of butter churning motion which really does feel good, but the newer model has a thumping pad on the tip of the tail which is designed to stimulate the A-spot, also known as the anterior fornix erogenous zone (AFE), located in “the inner half of the anterior wall of the vagina.” Some people say the AFE is controversial, but I say, there’s something to stimulation in that area which is really quite beyond compare.

Read my review of Lelo Enigma Double Sonic Massager and you’ll agree that it deserves a starring role in any Sex Toy 101 presentation to the British Parliament!

Lovense Gush 2 for bodies with penises

Gush 2 by Lovense is an exquisitely designed penis massager. I mean it! With all it’s many excellent features, this stroker has quickly become the “go to” toy whenever I want to take a semi-flaccid penis and bring it—and the human attached to it—to a state of almost unbearable pleasure.

What’s beautiful about Gush 2 is that it’s designed stimulate penises from soft and wonderfully squishy to hard as a vajra scepter. There are other, similarly designed toys, but Gush 2 is so comfortable to use and easy to handle, even for a partner who’s supplying the motion while you lie back…and enjoy. Take it in your own hands and you’ll see what I mean.

Read my review of Lovense Gush 2 and phrases like “4,300 targeted vibrations and oscillations per minute” and “light, balanced, and ergonomically pleasant” will surely captivate you. And if they don’t, be certain that actually using it will!

RECOMMENDED READ: Lelo’s F1S V3 XL: Bigger Is Definitely Better

Lelo Soraya Beads for bodies with anuses

The late M. Christian, our beloved managing editor and Future of Sex contributor, wrote a glowing review of Lelo’s Soraya Beads. They called the product “a return to classic anal massagers, yet with more than a few innovative design and engineering choices” and mentioned Lelo’s unique “Bow-Motion technology—which according to its product page was ‘inspired by the masterful movements of violin players’—to activate each of its separately-powered beads in sequence” resulting in what Lelo calls their cascading pleasure design, with eight settings.

Lelo bills Soraya as a “gender-neutral anal beads massager designed for those just getting into anal play exploration.” Let’s hope inclusion of this fine product in a presentation in the House of Commons might spark more than a few discreet orders from MPs who’d like to give this toy a try in the privacy of their own home!

Toys for bodies that need special consideration

There a plethora of sex toys now that cater to mobility and disability concerns, but few are as ingenious as Ohnuts from The Pelvic People.These are stackable rings which slip over a standard vibrators and dildos meant for vaginal (or anal) use, to control depth of penetration. This is so important in situations where there is vaginal pain, or even recent surgery, thus diminishing fear as well as actual risk of going too deep, too soon.

You can even purchase an optional Ohnut Vibrating Ring for additional pleasure.

Read more about the Ohnuts and other disability-friendly sex toys here.

Interactive toys for bodies that want to share

So many sex toys now have Bluetooth connections and companion apps that it’s terribly difficult to choose just one toy to spotlight. So returning to LoveHoney’s site, I sifted through their selection of couple’s toys and have decided to focus on the We-Vibe Sync 2 Purple Remote Control and App Rechargeable Couple’s Vibrator as an example of what’s possible for couple enjoyment.

I haven’t used this toy and can’t review it, so I’ll quote from the product page:

“Ergonomically designed with an adjustable, flexible fit, bend the textured ‘please’ shape to target the clitoris and G-spot during partnered penetration (with a strap-on or penis). Using the single-button control on the toy, the remote control, or the We-Vibe app, explore 10 rumbling vibration modes to deliver hands-free, jaw-dropping stimulation for both of you at exactly the same time.”

Just one disclaimer: not everyone is tech-inclined enough to successfully manage toys with Bluetooth and app-controls, so I wouldn’t recommend this product to a sex-toy newbie. But including a toy in this category could open more than a few MP minds to the almost endless possibilities and consenting-adult pleasures to be found, thanks to the sex-tech/sex toy industries.

Pleasure with a purpose

As a sexologist, I’ve had fun imagining the kind of Sex Toy 101 presentation I’d do if I had the chance to convince a group of policymakers to improve sexual education and health for an entire population, and to convince them to consider pleasure as a key component to quality of life. Not just sexual pleasures, but simple things too, as pleasure is deeply soothing for our nervous systems. If we’re happy, calm, curious, and generous with each other, we can thank the parasympathetic portion of our nervous systems.

I can see the informed pursuit of consent-based pleasure as a vital path to becoming more enjoyable, less reactive and violent, individuals and humanity. If policymakers begin to actively support this idea, it will be a better world and a better future for all of us, indeed.

Image Source: A.Marsh using Ideogram.ai and VistaCreate using product images from Lelo, We-Vibe, OhNut, and Lovense.

The post Show and Tell: Recommending Five Great Products for British Parliament’s “Sex Toy 101” appeared first on Future of Sex.

Tech-driven pleasure devices redefine intimacy across time and distance

Picture this: you’re thousands of miles from your partner, yet with a tap of a screen, they can still make you feel intimately close. What once sounded like sci-fi is now a tangible reality. Remote-controlled vibrating dildos are quietly reshaping the way we think about connection, desire, and sensuality in an increasingly digital world.

These aren’t your average bedroom gadgets. They’re part of a growing wave of sexual technology—tools that are wireless, app-controlled, and in some cases, even AI-enhanced. The goal? To bring pleasure, connection, and play into the digital age in ways that feel remarkably, and sometimes unexpectedly, human.

So, What Are Remote-Controlled Dildos, Really?

At a basic level, they’re insertable vibrators designed to be controlled by someone else—whether they’re in the same room or halfway across the planet. Most link up to smartphones via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, letting a partner manipulate vibration patterns, intensity, and rhythm in real time.

Some, like the sleek offerings from Juliet Toys, are app-connected and allow global access—bridging distances with just a screen and a signal. Others push boundaries further, syncing with music, voice commands, or even video chats. The result? A more immersive, emotionally resonant kind of long-distance intimacy.

Why This Tech Matters

While long-distance couples were among the earliest adopters, the reach of these toys now goes well beyond that niche. They’re proving meaningful for:

• Partners managing relationships across cities, time zones, or countries
• Individuals with disabilities looking for more autonomy and interaction
• People exploring sexual wellness in the privacy and safety of their own homes
  Couples seeking to rebuild or deepen intimacy

Far from being a gimmick, these devices are becoming tools for emotional connection and physical closeness, especially in a world where in-person presence isn’t always an option.

More Than Just Vibration: Emotional Closeness

There’s a unique vulnerability in letting someone else take control of your pleasure. It requires trust, fosters communication, and offers a real-time feedback loop that’s deeply engaging. Even outside overtly sexual moments, it can feel a bit like digital hand-holding—intimate and oddly comforting.

This shared experience is what sets remote-controlled dildos apart from traditional sex toys. They aren’t just about solo stimulation—they’re crafted for mutual engagement, even when miles apart.

Under the Hood: The Tech Making It Happen

Most devices rely on low-latency Bluetooth for nearby control and shift to Wi-Fi or cellular networks for global use. The best models out there feature:

• Two-way feedback, allowing interactive responses
• Integration with audio or video to heighten immersion
• Customizable patterns and the ability to save previous sessions
• Strong encryption and secure pairing to keep interactions private
  

Of course, it’s not without hiccups—occasional disconnections and compatibility quirks still exist. But the overall trend is clear: smarter, more responsive, and user-centered innovation.

Looking Forward: Where Does It All Lead?

We’re already glimpsing the future: haptic feedback suits, virtual reality integration, and biometric syncing that responds to heart rate or mood. But even now, the question looms larger than just technology: What does intimacy mean when touch no longer requires presence?

As our relationships evolve alongside our digital tools, so too does our understanding of what it means to be close. Remote-controlled dildos are just one—albeit fascinating—step in that journey.

Image Source: Juliet Toys

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Say hello to a world of infinitely adaptable smart plastic pleasure devices

If things continue the way there are now—and there’s lots of evidence that they will—in a few years we may be seeing a whole range of objects with the ability to become practically anything.

From fabrics resembling metal or even wood, these smart materials will be able to change color, shape. and even texture. They’ll be able to morph into whatever we’ll need in an instant.

The sexual possibilities, to put it lightly, could be tremendous.

Welcome to the world of programmable matter

Currently, the state of programmable matter is still in its infancy. But researchers are optimistic that with forthcoming breakthroughs, we will soon be seeing a transformable future.

There is a range of approaches to creating substances that can be altered on command. One way is using electromagnetic fields to interact with materials suffused with ferromagnetic particles. Turn on the juice and the stuff could take on an array of useful shapes.

Another approach is what is called claytronics: basically a form of nanotechnology where a substance is mostly made up of atom-sized machines.

RECOMMENDED READ: With Sugar on Top: Tasty New VR Tech Flavors the Future

Then there’s the idea of smart plastics. Here the idea is the material would, after receiving a programmed command, expand or contract like artificial muscles. There’s even the possibility it could change color using something like the synthetic version of an octopus’s chromatophores, microscopic dots of color that can be switched on and off to create almost any hue desired.

A shape-changing future

The implications for programmable matter are astounding. Why have a whole toolbox when you can one nanotech device that can become whatever you need when you need it?

Why have a wardrobe full of clothes when a single garment can shift from summer to winter wear at a moment’s notice? Why have a house full of gadgets when one programmable blob of plastic can transform into anything on command? Why have a dressing that needs to be adjusted and changed when you can have a bandage that not only monitors your injury, but applies or decreases pressure and heat to optimize healing?

True, some of this is probably some decades away. But even extrapolating only a few years ahead, the potential for programmable materials is still intriguing—especially when it comes to programmable materials and sex.

The ultimate sex toy

For one thing, imagine a sex toy smart enough not just to learn what you like but also be able to become what you need. Smoothly, seamlessly, it could gain or loose texture, get warmer or colder, or expand or contract by reading your level of arousal.

A programmable matter sexbot could, when not in use, look like a generic figure. But switched on it could morph into a lifelike copy of whoever or whatever you want.

Let’s say you have a long-distance lover. They hook up to a transmission system and connect your robot’s sensory input to wherever they might be. In response, your bot’s smart plastic outer covering becomes a facsimile of their real self—or whatever you and they decide would be fun to play with that day.

As the tech grows even more advanced, it’s possible that our clothing—in addition to being able to change style on a whim—could become a form of wearable sex tech. Feeling amorous? The very fabric you are wearing could contract, expand, or actually even move in a way to scratch that itch.

And, beyond even that, there might be an age when many humans have become cyborgs; replacing their original organic organs with programmable matter parts. For them, their genitals could be whatever they desired them to be, for whatever sex they wanted to have. It would be an age of nearly limitless possibilities—limited only by imagination.

The only certainty is change

While it’s unclear exactly what form the materials of the near and far future may take, one thing is certain: with the way things are going, it will be a world where the only definite thing is that it will be changeable.

Image sources: Depositphotos

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US tariffs could dim rosy industry forecasts

As with many products, pleasure devices may have already become considerably more expensive, thanks in large part to the new tariffs on goods imported from China—which, according to the New York Times, includes 70% of sex toys and sextech devices.

For anecdotal confirmation I inspected about twenty toys from my personal and toy review stash—designed for a variety of uses and body parts—and found all were made in China. It didn’t matter if the products were from Lovense, Hot Octopuss, Lelo, Kiroo, Lora DiCarlo, OhNut, or anyone else, they all shared that common origin.

But the problem is far bigger than individual decisions about whether to select a Bluetooth-enabled device or an ordinary vibrator.

US sextech fuels a vibrant, growing industry

Sex Tech Market Size and Trends, a global report by Grand View Research, says North America is the “the largest revenue share of 32.2% in 2024” and people in the US  bought more sex tech products than anyone else on the continent. 

Meanwhile, a 2022 survey mentioned in Interested Engineering said 163 million Americans, 18 years or older, own sex toys. And a 2022 survey published by Statista Research in 2023 reported 82% of American women own at least one sex toy. 

Is it any wonder Bedbible’s Sextech Industry Market Report & Statistics (May 2024), said, “The sextech market is part of the global sex toy market which is estimated to be 40 billion dollars. The US sex toy market is estimated to be 15.6 billion worth. So sextech is part of markets that have a huge size.” Bedbible also said the US sextech market is (or was) “more than 50% of the global sex tech industry.”

Grand View Research predicted growth “at a compound annual growth rate of 16.77% from 2025 to 2030” and that it would be worth “USD 107.85 billion by 2030” for the global sex tech market.

Sadly, these remarkable figures and rosy predictions for global industry growth may

crumble now, given how tariffs against China—which range from 20-25%—will likely increase costs, discouraging US consumption.

Made in China

It’s not just that over 70% of sex toys are manufactured in China, but the country is also “home to a diverse range of companies producing sex toys, apps, and other sex-related products and services,” according to Grand View Research.

Therefore China’s diversity of products, such as highly popular Bluetooth-enabled devices, means every sexy thing imported to the US will probably end up  costing more.

Most consumers now seem to understand the impact of tariffs on cost. But small and medium-sized businesses such as retailers and distributors, will also bear the brunt.

Tariffs will hurt small businesses, especially women- and queer-owned retailers

In the last couple of decades there has been a growing number of women and queer people in the US founding sex-positive adult product companies and/or retail businesses. 

The earliest retail examples are Eve’s Garden, founded in 1974 in NYC by Dell Williams, and Good Vibrations, started by Joani Blank in San Francisco in 1977. Since then, generations of entrepreneurs have established friendly and informative ways to learn about and shop for adult products. 

Kismet Tyler, owner and “head queer” of Overlap Self-Care Superstore in Springfield, OR, is one such entrepreneur. Tyler told me,

“I’ve been scared about the cost rising on imported toys (i.e. A LOT of toys) since the talks about tariffs started. I absolutely have fears about costs going up. As much as I try to stock USA made/based brands, I believe even those makers will face supply chain issues for the raw goods needed to make their products. Customers have not expressed concern though I can say one of my vendors sent out an email that some specific brands have vowed to absorb tariff costs and not change the price of their goods” 

Tyler added, “I will say it inspired me to begin sculpting and making my own adult toys with USA sourced products both for fun, and just in case.”

Going forward

There’s probably not much we can do about the increasingly higher prices on sex toys and tech while the current Chinese tariffs on China remain in force. 

However, we can support small businesses, especially those owned by people in marginalized groups.

And we can take heart in knowing entrepreneurs like Kismet Tyler, and the communities  they serve, are more than willing to use their creativity to keep sex positivity alive and well even during these difficult times.

Images: A.R. Marsh using Ideogram.ai.

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Good for detecting erections, having fun—or both?

Massagers, strokers, thrusters, oscillators, and everything between, while I’ve enjoyed nearly every sextech plaything I’ve reviewed, I’ve always had a marked fondness for penile-constricting, ring-type sextoys.

So naturally, I was more than slightly excited when FirmTech sent me their new erection-monitoring, multi-speed vibrating RingMate vibrator to review.

Though I had a quite stimulating time with it, and found it well-made with several excellent features,, I have to report it has a number of issues preventing it from ranking as an A+ ring toy.

What the RingMate’s for

Unlike other cock ring-type pleasure devices, FirmTech’s RingMate is designed to pull double dutyduring heterosexual intercourse, arousing both penis and a partner’s clitoris while monitoring the degree and frequency of the former’s erections.  RingMate also monitors erections while masturbating and nocturnal, ahem, risings when worn overnight.

Information which could be used to diagnose sexual health-related conditions such as erectile dysfunction.

Or, at least, that’s how it’s intended to function, but however many times I tried, I couldn’t get the RingMate to recognize let alone connect with the FirmTech smartphone app.

On one hand

Not that the RingMate isn’t pleasurable; but when I compare it to other BlueTooth-enabled sextoys—also boasting a wider range of innovative features and effortless connectivity—this failure of RingMate’s major selling point is particularly glaring.

RECOMMENDED READ: Get Your Soft-on With a Week’s Worth of Juicy Adult Sex Ed

Putting that serious issue aside for a moment, as a vibrator ring, the FirmMate has a lot going for it, starting with how its motorized section is engineered less to directly stimulate the wearer’s penis and more to excite their partner’s clitoris.

A body-safe, gel-like, non-reactive material covers the hard plastic unit, helping to enhance its overall comfort.  

Along with a RingMate, I was also sent one of FirmTech’s High-Performance Rings, a hook-and-loop fashioned from the same squishy material.

Inserting the High-Performance Ring into the RingMate’s own loops and linking it together results in a pleasantly secure fit and makes taking it off a snap.

What you get

The RingMate comes with the unit itself, a little drawstring bag to store it in, and a USB power cord—and nothing else.  Scanning the QR Code on the side of the box takes you to the FirmTech site with step-by-step instructions on how to use it and, hopefully, get it to wireless link to the supportive smartphone app.  

The Max Performance Ring, though lacking an obviously unnecessary power cord, does come with a handy little instruction booklet.

As I and other Future of Sex sextech reviewers, most notably Dr. Amy Marsh, have repeatedly pointed out, not providing an easily readable guidebook is blatantly biased against people without easy access to a smartphone or the web. 

Insult on insult: The inside of the RingMate’s box does have some pairing info, but the font is so small that it is practically invisible.

On the other hand

Reporting FirmTech’s initial launch back in 2023, I made a point to call out what seems to be the company’s anxiety-inducing focus on penis-owners’ having to achieve and maintain an erection—as if there’s no other way to have mutually or solitary satisfying sexual experiences—and how it flies in the face of what sexologists recommend, such as our own Amy Marsh, who said, “It’s terrible that this should be such a source of worry. We need a sexual culture change.”

A change which I’d like to give voice to by saying erections are fine and dandy, but there are thousands of different and equally, if not more exciting, solo or partner sexual activities not requiring one.

Not that erectile dysfunction concerns aren’t valid, especially if they might indicate a potentially injurious or quality-of-life diminishing medical condition, but the undeniable truth is on-call, instantaneous, and unflagging erections are the stuff of carefully-edited, professionally performed adult entertainment fantasies.

The reality is, particularly as penis-owners age, erections come and go, and no magical drug or technological marvel can alter that fact.  

But as Dr. Amy Marsh pointed out, rather than attempting to change our bodies, what we can begin changing is our perceptions around what sex is and could be—by having fun with interesting, exciting, and arousing products like FirmTech’s RingMate without fearing whether you’re hard or not.
Image Sources: FirmTech, Depositphotos

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Innovative strokers, state-of-the-art massagers, haptic tech marvels, and more

A lot’s certainly changed in the six years since the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas awarded the 2019 Innovation Award to the Osé vibrator, made by Lora DiCarlo’s sextoy company, and then almost immediately rescinded it. Then, thanks to a groundswell of overwhelmingly negative publicity, publicly apologizing and formally restoring the award..

2025’s recent event featured an impressive number of innovative products, including several from well-respected manufacturers such as Lovense, Ohdoki, Motorbunny, and others.

Hello, Sensera

A relative newcomer to the industry, Sensera took home an Artificial intelligence honorable mention for its vulva-focused sextoy which they enthusiastically refere to as a “sexual wellness device.”  

Made primarily out of medical grade, body-safe silicone, the Sensera comes with three interchangeable capsules containing specifically formulated lubricants, automatically dispensed when the toy’s array of sensors and built-in AI indicates when they’re needed the most: either to enhance user pleasure or just to make the experience more comfortable.

Ohdoki’s The Handy

Known for its advanced sextoy products, Ohdoki’s updated Handy stroker turned more than a few heads, particularly its optional new, heavy-duty articulated mount for a flexible, thoroughly hands-free experience.

The Handy’s interactivity has also been improved, boasting smartphone app compatibility for supported adult content, increased to over thirty thousand different videos across many platforms, and also to wirelessly join two Handy’s together.  

Hopefully, The Handy’s newest model has addressed some of the precious one’s issues, like its lack of an onboard battery—meaning it has to stay plugged in to work—and how annoyingly difficult it was to get it and its smartphone app to talk to each other.

Feeling the G’s with Motorbunny

Another familiar respected sextech company, Motorbunny’s unique approach to haptic gaming made quite a few headlines.  

Basically, a USB-C accessory for PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, or Nintendo Switch controllers, when attached, the PlayMate Fluffer Haptic Relay Plug-in relays the player’s actions to any of Motorbunny’s five, Bluetooth-enabled pleasure devices.

RECOMMENDED READ: From Feathers to Flesh: AI Can’t Handle Sextoy Holiday Shopping

As Gizmodo put it, “If you’ve ever wanted one of your favorite video games to take your sex level to the next level, the Motorbunny PlayMate Fluffer is the way to go.”

Ohdoki: Something for everyone

Clearly not a company willing to pass on a good—and pleasurable—opportunity, Ohdoki also unveiled The Oh!, a unique vulva-owner’s toy that, rather than using mechanical vibrations, instead employs ultrasonic waves to hit its owner’s, shall we say, high notes.

Similar to other smart sextoys, The Oh! is wirelessly operable from its companion app or can be set to respond to the user’s choice of music.  As with The Handy, it’s unsure if The Oh! exclusively uses Wifi or Bluetooth as well.

As I don’t yet have one to carefully examine and review, the Oh! appears to be less elegant, perhaps less easy to use, than toys from other companies.  But, as they say, the proof is in the pudding, so it may end up being an effective and enjoyable plaything.

Lovense, Lovense, and more Lovense

A personal favorite, Lovense garnered a lot of what seems to be a great deal of much-deserved attention for its smart-sensor equipped, touch-responsive Mission 2 and the Solace Pro, an impressively high-speed AI-supporting stroker.

Readers may already be familiar with the Solace Pro, as we gave it several enthusiastic thumbs up for its butter-smooth connectivity, well-put-together desk bracket, and while boasting an extremely fast stroke speed, felt more like a flesh-and-blood sexual experience and never once like having stuck oneself into a mechanical device.

CES 2026—we’ll see

It might be six years between Lora DiCarlo’s extremely poor treatment by CES officials, hypocritical considering the organizer’s other problematic  policy decisions such as ostracizing sextech developers while at the same time allowing scantily clad booth babes to show off their wares, however this year’s event appears to be at least a partial step in the right direction.

Moving forward we hope that CES won’t repeat its past mistakes with regard to sextech businesses, especially in light of the market’s projected billion-dollar growth between now and 2029. 

We can only wish that over the next year, CES, like many other trade shows, will finally recognize the financial, psychological, and sexual empowerment the industry has to offer—and not stick their heads in the sand or surrender yet again to anti-pleasure hysteria.

Image Sources: Depositphotos, Motorbunny, Lovense 

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