Sex toys; the past, the present and the future as we see it

A brief history of sex toys

The use of sex toys is thought to date back tens of thousands of years, with phallic-shaped stone artefacts being found in ancient caves, and traces of sex toys and pornography scattered throughout our history.

For instance, in ancient Greece, 500 years B.C., women were said to have given “olisboses” to other women whose husbands had gone to war or died. These gifts were wooden dildos and olive oil was used as lubricant.

Vibrators made their mark in the history books in 1734 when the “Tremoussoir” was invented in France. However, some prefer to attribute the invention to Cleopatra, who was said to have been innovative with her use of bees to make a ‘hollowed out gourde’ vibrate.

In the nineteenth century the demand for vibrators rocketed as pelvic massages to treat “female hysteria” became highly popular. So much so that in 1869 Dr George Taylor felt compelled to invent a steam powered vibrator to satisfy the needs of his patients.

Even butt plugs have a pretty well established history, with thousands being sold across the United States from 1892, and then the 1900s saw the invention of blow-up dolls.

Sex toys gradually made their way from secret shops to high street stores, and it was in 1998 that vibrators were put in the spotlight on HBO’s Sex and the City when an episode showcased the rabbit vibrator – a toy which has been wildly popular ever since.

Sex toys now

The current market of sex toys as we see it is pretty fantastic. There are new toys being developed all the time by visionaries whom all have a different way of working with your body and hitting the right spots; G-spot, P-spot, clitoris…

Sex toys are becoming more skin safe and eco friendly, and ever embracing new technology, such as smart phones and the internet. This year Durex launched ‘funderwear’ which allows you to stimulate your long-distance lover using your smart phone and direct exactly where the stimulation is going.

There now also exists a male masturbator which is synced with a ‘joy stick’ through the internet, so whatever she does to the stick, he feels in the masturbator. It seems sex toy developers are continually looking for ways to connect people who physically can’t be together – and the internet is what’s made this possible.

The Jimmy Jane Hello Touch is another new and revolutionary sex toy which is designed to turn you or your partner into a human vibrator. This device puts powerful vibrations at your fingertips – literally – and is another great example of sex toy developers thinking outside the box.

The future of sex toys

3D printing has been described as the second industrial revolution as is set to change manufacturing as we know it. Like with anything new and innovative, it doesn’t take long for the sex industry to utilise the new technological advancements.

3D printing may still be in its infancy, but we the ever-kinky public are still keen to have dildos and sex toys printed using this revolutionary technique. In the not too distant future it should even be possible to design your own sex toys and make alterations to existing designs in order to create your perfect sex toy.

Some industry professionals even predict that in the future we’ll all have 3D printers in our homes, so then rather than buying sex toys online and having them delivered, you’ll be able to buy a design online and print it in your own home – what could be more discreet than that?

The future of sex toys is also set to see huge technological advancements in sex dolls and ‘sex robots’. In 2010 Roxxxy was showcased at the Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, a sex robot with basic artificial intelligence, capable of learning the owner’s likes and dislikes. The doll also responds to touch on various parts of its body and makes sounds accordingly. This kind of technology will only improve with time and we’re sure to see sex robots and androids becoming more and more human.

Vibrators and sex toys of the future are also predicted to read your body’s mood, heart rate, temperature and even brainwaves to pleasure you accordingly without you having to reach for the dial! So there you have it, the future’s bright – the future’s orgasmic in fact.