As technology continues to improve, humans are seeking more ways to not only ease their burdens but also automate the littlest of things. So, for every task that humans can carry out on a daily basis, there is an equivalent computer code that can automate that with the help of robots or virtual artificial intelligence. Yet, humans are still going further to stretch the extent by which nature can accommodate these novel creations. One of them is in the form of intimacy.
Long-distance relationships are quite difficult to navigate, especially in the area of intimacy and physical touch. However, a Chinese student hopes to use technology to address the lack of intimacy between partners. The end result is a creepy-looking device with human-like silicone lips that can send virtual kisses to your partner. Partners may have to be apart for a variety of reasons, but young people are increasingly testing the idea of keeping virtual relationships. The remote kissing device is currently being sold for the equivalent of $38 per unit on the Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao.
Device is Bluetooth-powered and not the first of its kind.
It works by being plugged into a phone and also via Bluetooth. It not only transfers the sensation of a kiss through the mechanical movement of the fake lips but also measures the temperature and length of the kiss. It then transmits the same to the person on the other end, who also has the same device plugged into their phone. The app even records the sloppy sound of kissing on silicone lips, which is apparently important for conveying the “feels,” as well.
Not the first device of its kind, however. There was Kissenger in 2016. It was a “long-distance kissing device” that was the subject of an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. The handheld device was plugged into a phone’s charging port, while an oval skin-colored surface at the front virtually recorded and relayed the sensation of a smooch. Kissenger, marketed as the world’s first mobile kiss messenger, was unable to enter production due to a lack of adequate funding.
Student founder said the idea came from his long-distance relationship.
Latest iteration of a virtual kissing machine was created by a recently graduated student named Jiang Zhongli, with patent rights held by China’s Changzhou Vocational Institute of Mechatronic Technology. Zhongli said that he was in a long-distance relationship with his then girlfriend at the time. They communicated only by phone. He said that is where the idea for this device came from. The kissing device’s fake lips move back and forth to mimic natural lip movements. In other words, it imitates the rhythmic movement of a natural lip when kissing.
People have given the device a variety of reviews, ranging from “It’s a game changer for me” to “This is disturbing.” Some were upset that it lacks a fake tongue to provide a proper smooching experience. The creator of the device promotes it as a solution for maintaining monogamy as well as a tool for people who are unable to meet physically due to disease or other reasons. The companion app to the gadget also allows you to record the kissing session and download the video for future reference. Additionally, when two people are kissing virtually, the app compares the strength of their smooching and displays the results in real time. The dating aspect of it allows you to select someone from a pool of registered users and send them a genuine virtual kiss.
Gadget will induce obsession and addiction like virtual reality.
Virtual reality is the computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors. People wear devices that make them sense things in a digital world. As people become increasingly obsessed with and addicted to the virtual world, they are likely to get lost in actual reality. The strong sense of scene in VR and vivid role experiences can make people addicted, especially teenagers. This device will most likely create the same effect in its users.
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