Sex And Sex-tech: Valentine Edition
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Please be advised that the following program contains audio content that may be graphic and potentially triggering for some listeners. This content may include descriptions or sounds that some may find disturbing. Listener discretion is strongly advised. This is The Last Show with David Cooper. Whether you like it or not, Valentine's Day is coming. And whether you're partnered with that special someone, single, or just emotionally bonded to your Bluetooth device, well, we've got some news for you. This February the 14th, you're going to want to know what sex and what sex tech is around to help you get through the day.
What is sex tech and how is it defined?
So that's what we're going to discuss here with experimental psychology researcher at the University of New Brunswick and a member of the Sex Meets Relationships Lab, Madison Williams. Madison, a joy to have you here on the show it is.
Thank you for having me back. It's always a pleasure.
I don't know why I just said that like Yoda, but let's start here. You've told me this before, but I want to get one more definition. When people hear the word sex tech, what do they usually think it means? And then what does it actually mean?
Sure. Sex tech usually first thought is sex toys, most popular, most easily identified. But sex tech could actually mean anything from sex robots to sex toys to AI chatbots or companions. Anything that involves sex and technology.
Now, is sex tech, that word is hard for me, is it fixing problems people have or is it creating new ones and then solving things we didn't even know needed solving?
I think a little bit of both. It certainly can enhance a lot of sexual experiences. Vibrators are a classic popular addition to partner and sexual experiences. Masturbation, they make orgasm often easier to achieve. But they are certainly complicating sexual relationships when people are in relationships with AI companions or they have emotional attachments to robots or dolls. It certainly has a new dimension to relationships.
Is that something you're seeing more and more in your research? Like people kind of like having relationships with new forms of technology, feeling very emotionally bonded to them in ways that they just haven't before because they couldn't?
Yeah, we're seeing specifically with more advanced sex dolls or like companion dolls that have AI features in them. The people who are buying and using these devices are very attached and committed to them and often will dress them up or like hang out with them. It's not just a sexual outlet for them. It's really a... relational relationship. It's more than sex for them. And I think sex often comes second to a lot of the relational components.
Okay, well, I don't want to be too judgmental. How can someone in a relationship with a robot, a chatbot, have a lovely Valentine's Day?
Well, I think certainly the companionship helps, like just the feeling of somebody else being in the room with you, even if that's a doll. It's nice in the same way that like a stuffed animal might be like, you know, it's not an actual person there with you, but it's nice to have something for support. The dolls often kind of replace that detail. type of bond. They can chat usually. People often will connect them with an AI chatbot also. So you can like text your robot, but it's actually an AI companion that you've set up to mimic that doll, which adds a new conversational element. Yeah, lots of options.
Okay, well, let's talk about Valentine's Day for us mere mortals. It's a day that's loaded with pressure. How can sex tech relieve that pressure? Like, I feel like couples, they go into Valentine's Day sort of feeling like they need to have a great sexual experience. It's supposed to be the day where everything goes great, the bedtime activity goes great, but it doesn't always happen for everybody. You know, it's just an average day like any other. How can sex tech really relieve that pressure and... Make you have a great day on Valentine's Day.
Yeah, good question. The toys are certainly your friend. Often the feeling of adding a vibrator or another sex toy to the bedroom feels like a replacement or like you're inadequate because you need to bring in this toy.
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