THE FUTURE OF SEX

Sexual freedom is growing faster than Beyoncé/Jay-Z breakup rumours—and having a partner isn’t even mandatory. Psychologist and futurist Dr. Karen Moloney says technology is democratizing sex by making it “euphoric, harmless and affordable” for all. “These technologies allow people who may never find sexual partners—the shy, awkward, isolated and disabled—to experience good, healthy sex.” And there’s a safety advantage to online and remote sex: “You can’t get pregnant, catch an STD or be assaulted,” she adds. SEXBOTS (sex robots with interactive touch sensors) boast lifelike emotions (orgasm moans!) and physicality (thrusting!), rendering the perpetually surprised blowup doll obsolete. A 2014 report from Washingtonbased think tank Pew Research claims that robotic sex partners will become commonplace by 2025. CYBERSEX allows for pointof-view or “gaming”-style interaction with porn characters and toys that sync with the movie. No HPV scares there. MIND SEX— the same technology that allows amputees to move prosthetic limbs with their thoughts—will soon allow you to get your proverbial rocks off. REMOTE SEX allows partners to keep in touch (literally) no matter where they are. Tech companies are already beginning to capitalize on the trend. LovePalz has developed toys that contain “an air pump that replicates the movement and pressure applied by a partner, offering a realistic replication of lovemaking.” And Kiiroo, founded in 2013 in Amsterdam (natch), positions itself as the “pioneer in the world of teledildonics,” bringing physical sensation into the world of virtual reality. Choose from the company’s two devices: the Onyx, a sleek tube with “10 contracting rings,” or the Pearl, a vibrator with five tactile rings of its own.