Rubbot
Rubbot is a design project started in early 2006 by a group of independent product designers based in San Francisco. The goal of the project is to create the best male sex toy possible, by empowering and utilizing an active on-line community to contribute to the design by participating in polls and discussions on the Rubbot website.[1]
Traditional product development cycles acquire user feedback at junctures where new insights[2] are often difficult to incorporate. For example, it can be too early in the cycle where participants in focus groups are frequently required to formulate opinions based on two-dimensional drawings and marketing descriptions. Or conversely, it can be too late in the cycle where it is impractical to implement major changes into the design. The Rubbot project is a case study in integrating continuous input from potential users.
Product
The parameters of Rubbot, as a product, are that it is attractive, affordable, compact, hands-free and reliable. Essentially, the goal is to combine high design with strong functionality.
Technology
In order to generate the hands-free feature, a crankshaft with weights moving in a reciprocating motion moves the device back and forth. This has been dubbed the "inch worm concept" and the developers have a patent pending on the design.
Reviews and Criticism
Rubbot is described as "the most discreet male sex toy of the bunch" in Gizmodo's top 10 gadgets for "Global Orgasm 2007".[3]
An article on Fleshbot.com states, "As far as we're concerned, a male sex toy we don't have to use one of our hands to fiddle with couldn't come a minute too soon".[4]
Teledildonics experts at Slashdong recognize the community design effort and write, "Right now, they're looking for all sorts of ideas. Would you use it? What would you have control it?".[5]
The French website, Sexactu, reviews the hands-free inch worm concept and asks, "is this the future of masturbation?".[6]
References
- ↑ rubbot.com | The Male Sex Toy
- ↑ Gordon, Jack (November 2005). "How consumer insight makes or breaks a new brand". The Wise Marketer. Archived from the original on 2006-03-28.
- ↑ Goldman, Benny (December 21, 2007). "Global Orgasm 2007". Gizmodo.
- ↑ "Hands Free Masturbation Is (Almost) Here". Fleshbot. October 26, 2007. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007.
- ↑ "Mmmmm, donuts". Slashdong. October 25, 2007.
- ↑ "Masturbation soon accessible to the penguins". Sexactu. November 5, 2007. Archived from the original on 2008-01-07. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
External links
This article "Rubbot" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Rubbot. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
