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Comment by ghjm | Hacker News Reader

This is a really cool hack, but my problem is that I don't understand the sex part. What's better about waving your hands around to control the motor speed, vs. using a dial?

This is not out of prurient interest. I just can't understand the engineering without understanding the use case. Maybe you have to be female to get this?

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I would almost say that it would make more sense to have something you touch to create the changes in speed or intensity or whatever vs. air waving? And I would think it would be possible to actually use a smartphone (with vibration feedback) that you rub,touch whatever which would be better than air.

The feedback is important also. I fly rc helis and once you get used to using the sticks and the channels on a traditional radio using the iphone (say on an ardrone) and tilting to do the same (for me at least) is not as satisfying. It doesn't feel real or challenging.

I would think some sort of hand-squeeze-o-meter would be ideal.

I would think it would be possible to actually use a smartphone

One vibrator that uses a smartphone: http://www.vibease.com

Yups, there is one. www.vibease.com

I'm the founder btw. We help couples to stay intimate, even from a distance, by using mobile app and long distance vibrator. We use Bluetooth and internet. http://mashable.com/2012/10/26/vibease-sex-toy-app/

Well, vibease is now alive and kickin' here, so there's a couple of other apps I'll mention:

- BodyHeat, by OhMiBod/PerfectPlum: http://www.ohmibod.com/app/

- Closer ToGetHer - http://www.getclosertogether.com/

I'd think something like EEG or heart rate feedback would be better than sonar. Higher degree of difficulty, but much more evil.

This is being worked on as we speak, actually. There's a few companies (and, uh, me) working on biometric interfaces for sex toys. I reverse engineer biometrics stuff as well as sex toys, so there's a whole range of sensors available, and it's honestly the best interface we're probably going to get, since it doesn't require manual controls. :)

Simple gesturing is a much more organic or natural experience than fiddling with dials and buttons in a very specific manner. Focus is a big deal for a lot women (anecdotal evidence) when it comes to achieving sexual climax. So the mor natural the controls are the less they have to focus on anything except the way they feel. It makes sense to me.

This is alluded to in the article - the "programming a VCR" comment. I can see how using a dial or buttons to control it just wouldn't feel right. Waving your hands? Maybe not quite there yet either (how about a NeuroSky?), but a neat hack regardless.

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