Vibrator
- See also Vibrator (album) for the 1995 album by Terence Trent D'Arby
A vibrator is a mechanical device that is designed to generate vibrations. The vibration is often generated by an electric motor with an unbalanced weight (mass) on its driveshaft. If the motor is switched on, the rotating weight will resonate.
There are many different types of vibrator, including those in cellphones and pagers. There are also vibrating devices intended to touch the body (including insertion in a body cavity), thereby stimulating the nerves and giving a pleasurable and possibly erotic feeling.
Non-erotic vibrators
Industrial uses of vibrators include:
- In construction industries, high-powered industrial vibrators are used to remove air bubbles from freshly poured concrete. There are also a number of different types of vibrators used in the construction industry to settle and compact soil. Another type of vibrator can be used to drive foundation piles into the ground.
- Used in emptying a hopper containing granular material such as corn or grain. The vibrations of the vibrator reduces friction during discharge and helps maintain a reliable flow of material.
- Small printing firms will use vibrator tables to square-up a pile of pages after they have been printed.
- Check procesing businesses use a vibrator known as a jogger to align checks prior to processing by a check sorting machine.
- In the aerospace and military electronics industries, engineers often test electronic circuit cards both individually and in their equipment boxes whilst mounted on a flat vibrating table. The table is driven from a large motor similar to a moving-coil loudspeaker. The frequency of vibration can be random, or specific frequencies can be used to detect and permit the assessment of resonances.
- As the mechanism for a conveyor belt. Basically the belt jerks down and then back whilst not in contact with the objects being moved. Then the belt rises to recontact the object and moves forward, advancing the object. This technique is most commonly used with small particles. A similar technique can be used to achieve a vertical conveyor system using a multitude of tiny suitably-shaped buckets.
- In pagers and mobile telephones, a vibrator is mechanical device that produces vibratory motion to notice a call, see vibrating alert.
- Prior to the introduction of solid-state devices, automobile radios used vacuum tubes. An electromechanical vibrator produced a periodically interrupted current flow which was stepped by a transformer, rectified, and filtered to produce the B voltage for the tubes.
See also
Vibrators for body stimulation
The electrically-powered vibrator was invented in the 1880s by doctors, who had been ostensibly treating women for "hysteria" for centuries by performing what we would now recognise as masturbating those women to orgasm.[1] At the time, however, not only did doctors regard the "vulvular stimulation" required as having nothing to do with sex, they reportedly found it time-consuming and hard work. The vibrator got the job done more quickly and without such efforts, and as such was extremely popular with doctors. Home versions began to appear soon after and became equally popular, with adverts in places like Needlecraft, Woman's Home Companion, Modern Priscilla and the Sears, Roebuck catalog. These disappeared in the 1920s, apparently because their appearance in pornography made it no longer tenable for polite society to avoid the sexual connotations of the devices.
In their more common guise as "body massagers", millions of vibrators have been sold to both men and women. Some of the purchasers never use their purchases for anything other than relief from muscular tension or aches and pains. However, many people who purchase vibrators marketed as "body massagers" — and, presumably, most people who purchase vibrators marketed as adult toys — use them to attain sexual release, primarily in masturbation, a form of autoeroticism. Vibrators often allow people to achieve orgasm faster and easier and are often said to provide stronger orgasms than those produced by hand stimulation alone. They are often recommended by sex therapists for women who have difficulty reaching orgasm by other means. Couples also use them sometimes as an enhancement to the pleasure of one or both partners.
The sale of vibrators and similar "novelty items" is forbidden in several states in the southern USA. In the state of Texas, the sale of devices for sexual stimulation such as vibrators and dildos is technically illegal, but many stores will sell such items provided that the customer sign a statement that the device will be used only for educational purposes.
Types of erotic vibrators
An enormous range of vibrators exist, falling into several broad categories:
- Clitoral — Often sold as "back massagers", these are powerful vibrators such as the Hitachi Magic Wand or the Acuvibe.
- Dildo-shaped — Approximately penis shaped, can be made of plastic, silicone or latex.
- Waterproof — Can be used under water.
- 'Rabbit', 'Jackrabbit' or 'Rampant Rabbit' — Two pronged for stimulation of both the vagina and the clitoris.
- G-spot — Similar to the traditional vibrator but with a curve and often a soft jelly like coating. The curve makes it easier to use to stimulate the g-spot or prostate.
- Egg — Egg shaped vibrator which can be used for stimulation of the clitoris or insertion into the vagina
- Pocket rocket — Shaped like a cylinder, one of its ends has some vibrating bulges. It is meant to stimulate the clitoris or nipples, not for vaginal insertion.
- "Undercover" vibrators — see ducky above; vibrators discreetly shaped as every-day objects, such as lipstick tubes, cell phones, or art pieces.
- Remote control — battery powered vibrators of various types easily concealed under clothing and controlled by an RF remote such that they can be subtly activated in public by either the wearer or partner.
- Anal vibrators - Vibrators designed for anal use have either a flared base or a long handle to grip, to prevent them from slipping inside and getting lost.
- 'Butterfly'- vibrator strapped around legs and waist for hands free clitoral stimulation during sexual intercourse
- Vibrating Cockring- vibrator (usually cordless) inserted in or attached to a cock ring, usually for stimulation of the clitoris
Most vibrators use internal batteries, but some of them have a power cord and must be plugged into a wall power socket to work.
Vibrators in scientific research
Vibration is often used by neuroscientists and neurologists in motor control research as means to activate somatosensory receptors, such as receptors of the skin and muscle spindles. For example, vibration applied to Achilles tendon causes the subject's body to sway backwards. Such reactions are often referred to as tonic vibration reflex.
References
- ^ Rachel P. Maines (1999). The Technology of Orgasm: "Hysteria," the Vibrator, and Women's Sexual Satisfaction. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore. ISBN 0801866464.
- Joani Blank, Ann Whidden. Good Vibrations: The New Complete Guide to Vibrators Down There Press, 2000. ISBN 0940208261.