The official slogan for this year’s Augmented World Expo (AWE) in Long Beach was “XR is Going Mainstream.” And sure, they talked about enterprise solutions and productivity. But wandering the floor of the massive convention center from June 18-20, it was impossible not to see the *other* future taking shape—one where our sex lives get a whole lot more immersive, interactive, and interesting.
While the tech giants were showing off their latest hardware, a peek under the hood revealed technologies that are practically begging to be used for porn. Let’s dive into the innovations that are about to change the way you get off.
Get Hands-On (With Anything You Want)
Ever wanted to hold something that isn’t really there? Niantic Spatial, the minds behind Pokémon GO, gave attendees a taste of this with their new mixed-reality game, Hello, Dot. Using an XR headset, people were captivated by the sensation of holding and playing with a cute, virtual creature resting in the palm of their hand. The feedback was universal: it felt surprisingly real.
Now, let your imagination run wild. If this tech can make you feel like you’re holding an adorable pet, imagine the possibilities when that virtual object is, say, a monster cock, and a stunning virtual partner is watching you with hungry eyes. The line between digital fantasy and physical sensation is getting blurrier by the minute.
A Digital Playground for Your Desires
Forget clunky menus and complicated controls. Nolan Bushnell, the legendary founder of Atari, took the stage to champion intuitive, social fun. His brother, Brent Bushnell, drove the point home with a demo of Dream Park, a location-based XR game where you interact with virtual characters in the real world.
Think about it: a physical space augmented with digital characters you can talk to and play with. Now, swap out the family-friendly game characters for a cast of seductive, flirty singles ready to mingle. What you get is a blueprint for a real-life, adults-only playground—a version of Second Life’s raunchiest regions brought into our reality. It’s the future of the social hookup scene, blending the best of digital and physical connection.
Smell-O-Vision Gets a Sexy Reboot
Decades ago, cult filmmaker John Waters gave audiences “Odorama” scratch-and-sniff cards for his movie Polyester, adding a whole new sensory layer to cinema. Today, that gimmick is getting a serious high-tech upgrade, and it’s poised to make VR porn unbelievably immersive.
A company called Olorama was at AWE showing off its Professional 10-Scents Compact Generator. This sleek little box syncs with VR experiences to release specific scents that match the on-screen action. Smell is the sense most powerfully tied to memory and emotion. We all know sex has its own unique and potent scents—from perfume to pheromones to the musky smell of arousal. Imagine a VR scene where you can actually smell the perfume on your partner’s neck or the scent of sex in the air. Olorama’s tech could amplify the psychological and emotional punch of virtual encounters to a whole new level.
The AI Elephant in the Room
One of the most talked-about presentations came from Palmer Luckey, the creator of the Oculus Rift and now founder of defense tech company Anduril. In a provocative keynote, he argued that the consumer XR market—led by companies like Meta—is now so advanced that it’s driving military innovation, not the other way around. He detailed how commercial tech is being adapted for sophisticated battlefield systems.
The idea of AI-guided war machines is, frankly, terrifying—total Skynet vibes. But let’s flip the script. If this technology can be used for combat, imagine its potential when you replace “combat” with “intimacy.” The same AI that can analyze thermal and spatial data on a battlefield could one day power an endlessly adaptable, emotionally responsive, and perfectly sensitive non-human partner. It’s a jarring thought, but it hints at a future of companionship and pleasure that sounds a lot more appealing than robot wars.
Snap! You’re the Star of Your Own Show
Snap co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel also delivered a keynote, reinforcing his company’s mission to make technology feel more intuitive and personal. He declared, “We’re obsessed with making computers more human.” Nowhere was this more evident than in the demos for Snapchat’s Mirror.
This AR feature overlays digital content onto your reflection in a mirror, allowing for mind-bending customizations. The erotic potential is staggering. Imagine looking in the mirror and seeing yourself with your dream body, or seeing a virtual partner standing right behind you, ready to play. It’s the ultimate tool for self-exploration and fantasy fulfillment, putting you at the center of your own personalized porn scene.
So yes, XR is going mainstream. But for those of us with a dirtier mind, the real story from AWE 2024 isn’t about office meetings in VR. It’s about a future filled with incredible new ways to explore our desires, connect with others, and experience pleasure like never before.
* Photo from vrporn.com
