Women's Orgasms Determined by Autodetection of Pelvic Floor Muscle Contractions Using the Lioness “Smart” Vibrator

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction Bluetooth biofeedback devices have become popular for the detection of physiological responses by individuals. In the past, pelvic floor contractions during sexual self-stimulation in women have been detected using electrodes placed on the surface of the skin. The Lioness biofeedback unit is a new “smart vibrator” self-stimulation device that detects the force of pelvic floor contractions in two sensors at either side of the instrument that collect continuous pressure (in grams force), temperature, accelerometer, and gyroscope measurements at a sampling rate of 12 Hz. It connects by Bluetooth to a secure internet server from which women can download their pelvic floor output during periods of self-stimulation. Objective To validate the ability of the Lioness vibrator to detect the orgasm patterns of individual women reliably relative to a control condition (Lioness inside the vagina but without self-stimulation). Methods A sample of 54 women who use the Lioness Vibrator 2.0 were obtained after informed consent for their participation in the Lioness Sex Research Platform. Women were asked to provide outputs from one control condition and several orgasm conditions. For the orgasm conditions, women were instructed to self-stimulate to one orgasm and then turn the unit off 2 min after orgasm was attained. This allowed a blind rater to determine when orgasms occurred in the outputs and to observe the type of changes in pelvic floor contractions that preceded and followed each orgasm. Results Each woman had a predominant pattern of pelvic floor contractions at orgasm that followed generally one of three patterns or types: A “wave” (a short burst of pelvic contractions that were preceded by an entraining rhythm of pelvic floor tension and release), a “volcano” (orgasm preceded by increasing upward pelvic floor tensions), and an “avalanche” (higher pelvic floor basal contractions maintained throughout self-stimulation, but a downward contraction profile during and after orgasm). In many cases, women's subjective perception of orgasm termination occurred after the cessation of pelvic floor contractions, although prior to smaller contractions (aftershocks) that occurred as the pelvic floor muscles returned to a basal state. These patterns of orgasm are consistent with early reports by Masters and Johnson of three distinct orgasm patterns in women. Conclusions The Lioness allows researchers a new opportunity to examine orgasm patterns in women within more ecologically valid environments that are conducive to sexual responding (e.g., one's home). The device has good test-retest reliability and should be able to detect differences in orgasm patterns in response to treatments for sexual arousal, desire, and orgasm disorders. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: SmartBod Incorporated DBA Lioness, Oakland CA Clarification Industry funding only - investigator initiated and executed study Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: SmartBod Incorporated DBA Lioness