MIAMI – Since at least the middle of the 20th Century, science fiction fans have been anticipating three whiz-bang technological developments: flying cars, personal jetpacks … and realistic virtual sex.
Although the first two have yet to materialize in any reasonable form, all of a sudden the third seems to be popping up everywhere.
The most recent entry into what rapidly is becoming a crowded nascent field belongs to a Florida company calling itself the Sentidel Financial Group. Its first product, still at least six months from launch, is called FriXion.
“FriXion is a next-generation social network, [allowing users] to touch and be touched,” a statement released Nov. 20 noted. “It provides a level of interactivity, engagement and intimacy at a distance that challenge existing notions of presence.”
Ultimately, the company hopes to “push traditional boundaries and redefine what we consider sex.”
The product contains both real and virtual components developed by a team of robotics engineers and haptic technology players including CiTouch. Thanks to licensed and patented, internet-enabled haptic peripherals, “FriXion users come together and touch each other in tangible, stimulating ways — from holding hands and kissing up to and including full penetrative sex, whether their partner is across the room or across an ocean,” according to the statement.
FriXion owes its interactivity to a modular, open telemetry translation application programming interface that supports a number of smart haptic devices. The first to see release will be the V2, a simple wristband accelerometer that uses arm motions to control a partner’s sex toys. Smartphone, mouse and keyboard controls also are in development.
The open nature of the system is intriguing. According to co-founder Seth, new devices of almost any kind may be added to FriXion using developer-friendly plugins.
“All devices can interact with each other where their functionalities overlap, allowing diverse asymmetrical configurations,” Seth said. “The most advanced peripherals, which can be configured for any gender or orientation, use real-time, bidirectional [encoding] for feedback telemetry to achieve convincing and organic intimacy over distance.”
Seth is especially excited about the possibilities for combining separate-and-distinct virtual realities into cohesive experiences. In single-player situations, video encoding can replace a human partner, he said, syncing with any compatible physical device. What’s more, any user will be able to encode any video using FriXion’s tools. Moreover, single-player and multiplayer computer games and virtual worlds will be able to tie into FriXion, offering novel possibilities for one-to-one, one-to-many and group interactivity and engagement. Telemetry from live encounters may be saved and played back interactively at any time, Seth said.
The company seeks beta testers and business partners across the sexual spectrum. Beta-testing is expected to begin sometime during the first quarter of 2014.
More information may be found at FriXion.me.
