The future of sex toys? A sexologist reviews Vibease

Dr. Martha Tara Lee is founder and clinical sexologist of Eros Coaching. She is a certified sexologist with a Doctorate in Human Sexuality.

I first met Dema Tio, co-founder and CEO of Vibease back in 2013. It was when he revealed that he was crowdfunding a new smart vibrator which would be controlled through a mobile app. Although it was already on the market, he was doing another round of funding to come up with an even better product. Being an entrepreneur myself, I knew how difficult his path ahead was and wished him the best of luck.

Fast forward two years, I only learned Dema actually succeeded when approached by Tech in Asia to review the second iteration of Vibease. Since I am a sexologist, I was happy to check out what’s cutting edge and responded with a big yes.

Hardware

Upon opening its multi-colored cardboard box, which coincidentally has a suggestive design of the vulva, I finally came face-to-face with Vibease. Curved to fit perfectly into my palm, Vibease has a little nob which is meant for clitoral stimulation. One could also rotate it so the nodule is placed at the vaginal entrance instead. Mine is purple, but it comes in a choice of purple or pink.

The material is familiar to me – body-safe silicone which is the expected standard of all good sex toys.

I immediately saw how one could wear it externally by slipping it into one’s panties – very tight underwear so the toy doesn’t move out of place. Even before downloading the app, I was already able to control it by pushing the two buttons on the vibrator itself.

I admit I am a bit of a techno-phobe. I proceeded to test the vibrator as a stand-alone, choosing to leave figuring out the app for another day. There are two buttons: the first turns it on and off, and the second allows you to choose between five different vibration modes. To get more, you need to access them via the store in the Vibease app.

The two buttons on the Vibease vibrator.

Vibease is quiet but the buttons are loud. There is no way one can reach down there and go click, click, click – about the same sound you hear from a computer mouse – to find just the right mode without some heads, perhaps at a dinner table, turning.

App and ‘Fantasies’

Marketed as the world’s first wearable smart vibrator controlled by an app, Vibease is designed so that couples can engage through the app using what the startup calls “Fantasies.”

Should you buy?