(CNN) — Want to send a kiss to your long-distance lover? A Chinese contraceptive with warm, moving silicon “lips” seems to have the answer.
Advertised as a way to allow long-distance couples to share “real” physical intimacy, the device has caused a stir among Chinese social media users, who have reacted with intrigue and shock.
Equipped with pressure sensors, the device is said to be able to mimic a real kiss by mimicking the pressure, movement and temperature of the user’s lips.
Along with the kiss motion, it will also send the sound the user makes.
However, while many social media users found a funny side to the device, others criticized it as “vulgar” and “creepy”. Some expressed concern that minors could buy and use them.
“I don’t understand (the device), but I’m totally shocked,” said one of the top comments on Weibo.
On the Twitter-like site, various hashtags about the device have garnered hundreds of millions of views in the past week.
The kissing device is advertised as a way to share “physical” intimacy between long-distance couples. Credit: taobao
To send a kiss, users need to download a mobile phone app and plug the device into their phone’s charging port. After connecting with their partners on the app, couples can start a video call and broadcast transcripts of their kisses to each other.
According to China’s state-run Global Times, the invention was patented by Changzhou Vocational Institute of Mechatronics Technology.
“At my university, I was in a long-distance relationship with my girlfriend, so we only communicated on the phone. This is where the inspiration for this device came from,” said Jiang Zhongli, the main inventor of the design, as quoted by the Global Times.
Jiang said he applied for a patent in 2019, but the patent expires in January 2023, so Jiang hopes someone else can now expand and refine the design.
A similar finding, “The kisser“, initiated by A fictional company In 2016 in Malaysia. But it came in the form of a touch-sensitive silicone pad rather than realistic-looking lips.
Although advertised for long-distance relationships, the Chinese device allows users to anonymously match with strangers in the app’s “kiss square” feature. If two strangers successfully match and like each other, they can exchange kisses.
Users can “upload” their kisses to the app for others to download and enjoy.
Dozens of users have shared their reviews of the device, which is priced at 288 yuan ($41), on Taobao, China’s largest online shopping site.
“My partner didn’t think it was possible to kiss (long distance) at first, so her jaw dropped when she tried it… It was the best surprise I ever gave her during our long distance relationship.” Commented A user.
“Thanks, tech.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gruponacion/FP4GM734RVFSDMMHS47L7JTZSE.jpg "Get your camera ready: Jupiter and Venus star in an exciting encounter next week")
