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.
• Small printing firms will use vibrator tables to square-up a pile of pages after they have been printed.
• 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 mobile telephones, a vibrator is mechanical device that produces vibratory motion to notice a call, see vibrating alert.

See also

• multivibrator

Vibrators for body stimulation

The electrically-powered vibrator was invented in the 1880s by doctors, who had been ostensibly treating women for "hysteria" and "female hysteria" for centuries by performing what we would now recognise as masturbating those women to orgasm. 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. Many of these men and women, it should be noted, never use their purchases for anything other than relief from muscular tension or aches and pains. However, the vast majority of vibrator owners use them to attain sexual release through their use, primarily in masturbation, a form of autoeroticism. Vibrators are also used by couples as an enhancement to the pleasure of one or both partners, and are often recommended by sex therapists to women who have difficulty reaching orgasm by other means.

Although many women who use a vibrator express concern over "vibrator addiction", the inability to achieve orgasm without the use of a vibrator, it must be stressed that this effect is entirely psychological; even long term vibrator use does not lead to any decrease in sensitivity of the sexual nervous system.

The sale of vibrators and similar "novelty items" is forbidden in several states in the Bible Belt 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

• 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.
• Eroscillator® - Oscillating vibrator for stimulation of the clitoris and labia.
• Jackrabbit - 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.
• Egg - Egg shaped vibrator which can be used for stimulation of the clitoris or insertion into the vagina or anus (see http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/ )
• 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.

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: The Technology of Orgasm, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.
• Joani Blank, Ann Whidden. Good Vibrations: The New Complete Guide to Vibrators Down There Press, 2000. ISBN 0940208261.

External links

• The EROS Association An Australian association seeking logical perspectives on sex and rational law reform of the sex industry.
• Vibrator Museum The Good Vibrations Antique Vibrator Museum
• A Timeline History of the Vibrator.
• Vibrators FAQ
• Rabbit Vibrators
• Guide to sex toys
• Real user reviews of today's best vibrators
• Vibrator Guideda:Vibrator

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