When a device doesn’t listen: one year with interactive tech

General
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I used a well known interactive device for about a year. I went through different phases with it, and eventually I lost interest. It wasn’t easy to understand what I was feeling or what exactly wasn’t working for me, but here’s what I’ve come to realize: for some reason, interactive devices just don’t offer what I’m looking for at the moment.

They are one-directional. The emotions they transmit through movement only go outward. There is a complete lack of awareness or response from the device about how I’m feeling on multiple levels. This absence leads to several negative effects. I experienced less pleasure, and in some cases even discomfort (I wished it would slow down), and above all, an unusually high number of ruined orgasms. I’ve never had that many before.

I really hope that someday we’ll see sensors that allow for two-way communication with these devices. If that existed, I don’t think I would have experienced those problems in the same way.

When using the device with VR, I had to rely on mods, I also had to use a special belt to keep the device attached to my body. That turned out to be essential, but no official manufacturer seems to have realized it yet. If they did, they might also understand that there’s another critical missing feature for VR use: spatial tracking. Without it, you simply can’t interact properly with adult VR games.

I’m left wondering how long we’ll have to wait for these improvements. I’m writing this to bring some closure to my experience and to share my feedback with the community.

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P.s.
I wanted to clarify that when I wrote “I experienced less pleasure” I was referring to what I imagine I would feel if the communication were two-way, not in a general sense.

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I don’t like the “interactive” labeling, imo it’s a misnomer. it’s a shame this has been one of the most common descriptors for these products. getting your dick rocked by a robot doesn’t make a video interactive. it is immersive, but not interactive. the video doesn’t react to my actions unless i pause it in the player.

if you link the devices to an already interactive experience, meaning something designed to take input like a game, you can have decent results, but the interaction isn’t natural. interfacing with your hands on a keyboard and mouse or holding a vr controller is just not ideal. and while you will get full visual and audio feedback, the physical feedback will be limited by your haptic setup. which for most people will be a stroker or a vibrator.
a game designed for haptics or a well done mod can still be fun and satisfying, but it’s very noticeable that you can’t interact on that haptic axis that you’re adding. intuitively you want to, but you can’t. like how people turn their controllers playing a racing game.
i guess we need a wii steering wheel for sexbots

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I have used my Handy and other “interactive” toys in games. I’ve tried Virt-A-Mate, interactive adult visual novels, and some game integrations. I found them unsatisfying mainly because of the complexity of getting them to work. By the time everything was setup right and working I’d lost interest.

Now I use the Handy in VR with videos and funscripts exclusively. I have my Handy on an articulated microphone arm attached to my desk. I can squirt some lube in, pull it into position, grab only the right hand VR controller, pop the VR headset on, open the Quest version of HereSphere, and click my bookmark for xbvr in under a minute. At that point I’m ready to enjoy the wealth of downloaded content I have available. HereSphere automatically connects to and controls my Handy using the funscripts associated with each video in xbvr.

I think the ease of use the Handy with the combination of software brings to the experience is woefully underrated. I have an SR6. It’s fragile, awkward, heavy, and ultimately requires several additional PC-based applications to get working. I’m happy for the folks who find the experience with it and other DIY devices satisfactory, but for me the Handy is far superior because it is easy to enjoy.

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There are many things about this post that don’t sit right with me…
I had originally typed up a long post like the others, but it came off as rude so rip.

I will say this: Your emotional state, your assumptions and expectations going into a session has a large effect on your experience overall, whether it’s with a mechanical device or a real partner. If you think you’re gonna have a bad time, you probably will.

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Vr games are dead. Zuckerberg killed them when he bought oculus. This means what we got is the best we’re gonna get. On the flip side though, Ai and Robotwaifus are on the horizon, which should, in theory, give you that true interaction you’re looking for. The next 5 years things are going to REALLY start heating up! but for now, this is the best we got.

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Maybe im out of line here, but i dont think you are ever going to find that type of fulfillment from an object or machine. strokers are meant for just that, stroking. its not supposed to be a substitution for any kind of connection that can be reciprocated. i dont mean to come off as rude but i think you might need to talk to someone or maybe just take a break from funscript community and touch grass. the problem is not the technology my friend. its the way we use it that can be a problem.

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To cut back on the judgement, I’m gonna say you probably do want a person controlling the toy. I found my experience of people controlling to be vastly different and of course a lot more interactive since your average milker can read the cues just from your video feed whether you’re getting close or need speeding up etc.

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…i hear you OP, but don’t despair. Your points about VR are completely valid, once we get a decent 6DOF mod, fixed spatial objects, and all that then yeah, it’s gonna feel sooo much better. ATM u need to go full Virtamate for that, which is complex.

The point about one-direction with the feels is valid, but not a limitation. Most people are using single axis strokers, with linear scripts, quite happily. My guess is that most people are happy to interact with a device that is acting on them, whereas you’re specifically looking for something that acts with you. i use both, so i hear you.

As regards scripts, i love the way they work with a format like Cock Hero, where the machine is going to fuck you, and you better grit your teeth and endure. But i also love a good handcrafted action based script as well… to be fair mate you can always pause it, lower the speed manually, hit edging mode, etc… it does require some interaction from yourself to maintain the ‘fantasy’, or yea, you’re gonna let the machine win. Try and think of the machine as more like a puppet, it’s interacting with you, but you do need to control it as well. Also, sort your hands free out, that’s a no-brainer. Makes so much difference having a decent hands-free set up. You’ll stop being distracted by the machine ‘being a machine’ and enjoy the porn more.

But if you really want to go down the fully interactive route, you need try and procure an Edge-O-Matic 3000. They’re as rare as hens teeth, but they really do what they say. A sensor will detect your arousal level, and never let you cum, whilst constantly edging you… it’s quite the most amazing experience, but does come with various provisos, you need to find the right setting for yourself, it can take time to fine tune, needs an anal insert, and so forth… but once it’s working… there’s nothing else like it… it’s literally mind-blowing…

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For me, trying to feel any pleasure during orgasm in an automatic script is like trying to taste a top-quality ingredient hidden inside a McDonald’s sandwich one that’s already smeared with mustard, mayo, and ketchup. It’s absurd that there’s no on screen button to trigger at least a second script designed just for that moment, free from the usual synchronization.
(iPad The Handy app video player or faptap)