Hitachi Magic Wand

The Magic Wand (formerly known as the Hitachi Magic Wand) is an AC-powered wand vibrator. It was originally manufactured for relieving tension and relaxing sore muscles; however, it is most known for its use as a sex toy. Japanese company Hitachi listed the device for business in the United States in 1968. Sex educator Betty Dodson popularized its use as a vibrator and masturbation aid for women during the sex-positive movement in the late 1960s. It functions effectively as a clitoral vibrator for reaching orgasm. The wand is 12 inches (30 cm) long and weighs 1.2 pounds (540 g) with stimulation provided by its rubberized 2.5-inch (64 mm) head. Hitachi asserts that its sole intended use is for health care purposes. Hitachi's national sales manager said "we approach the massagers as personal care items... the people we hire know what it's for without our having to say it". Hitachi had a conflict with its U.S. distributor in 2000 and briefly stopped selling the device, until it reached a new deal with distributor Vibratex. The Magic Wand was featured in a 2002 episode of Sex and the City. Hitachi ceased production of the device in 2013 due to concerns about having the company name associated with a sex toy. Vibratex convinced the company to continue manufacturing it under the name "Original Magic Wand", omitting the Hitachi name. In 2014, the company used the name "Magic Wand Original". Academics have researched its use for treatment of female sexual arousal disorder and chronic anorgasmia—a sexual dysfunction in which a person cannot achieve orgasm. The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology published a 1979 study which found self-administered treatment and use of the Magic Wand to be the best method to achieve orgasm. In 2008, The Scientific World Journal published research finding over 93% of a group of 500 chronic anorgasmic women could reach orgasm using the Magic Wand and the Betty Dodson Method. The device was used in studies in many applications, including articles published in Dermatology Online Journal, Journal of Applied Physiology, Experimental Brain Research, Neuroscience Letters, and Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing. The Magic Wand has alternatively been referred to as the Cadillac or Rolls-Royce of vibrators, as well as the mother of all vibrators. Counselors Bettina Arndt, Laura Berman, Gloria Brame, and Ruth Westheimer (Dr. Ruth) recommended the device to women, and Cosmopolitan magazine reported the Magic Wand was the vibrator most often suggested by sex therapists. Mobile Magazine readers in 2005 voted the Magic Wand "the No. 1 greatest gadget of all time". Tanya Wexler's film Hysteria featured the device while showing the evolution of the vibrator. Engadget called the Magic Wand "the most recognizable sex toy on Earth".

Design and features

The device is 30 cm (12 in) long and it weighs 540 g (1.19 lb). Muscle and nerve stimulation is provided by the device's rubberised, 6.4 cm (2.5 in) head, which is attached to the main body of the massager via a flexible neck. A 1.8 m (6 ft) cord is attached to the device to provide power from mains electricity with alternating current, and requires 120 volts. It does not take batteries. The massager provides two vibration rates—nominally 5,000 and 6,000 rpm, equivalent to 83 Hz and 100 Hz—that are controlled by a switch on its body. Research published in the journal Sexual and Relationship Therapy reported that the Magic Wand operated at frequencies of 89 Hz and 101 Hz. Its displacement was measured as 0.45 mm (0.018 in), with a maximum acceleration of 0.1857 g (1.821 m/s2). The device was not originally designed as a sexual stimulation aid, and it has some deficiencies when used for this purpose. Apart from its size, bulk, and its reliance on a mains power supply that limits its portability, it is not waterproof or water-resistant, and it overheats when used for more than 25 minutes. It does not work well in electrical outlets in all countries internationally. Because of the Magic Wand's popularity, various aftermarket attachments with differences in colour, pattern of studs, and material, became available to purchase. Such attachments have been produced by many companies without ties to Hitachi. Without attachments, the device functions effectively as a clitoral vibrator, able to bring women to orgasm. Add-ons that are fitted over the top of the device and are used to excite the clitoris are available. An attachment called the Wonder Wand allows women to feel vibrations deep into the vagina. According to an article in the Dermatology Online Journal, The Wonder Wand is created from a plastic material which is even in consistency and is simple to clean after use. Attachments made of silicone designed to aid with penetrative sensations or to modify texture of the device are available. An add-on called the G-Spotter fits over the device in the same fashion and turns the device into a G-spot vibrator. The Gee Whiz (also referred to as G-Whiz) is a similar type of attachment used to stimulate the G-spot. The Flutter Tip Wand Attachment may be placed over the device and can be used to mimic the sensation of cunnilingus. Liberator Axis is a booster pillow that stabilizes the Magic Wand so the user does not have to hold it with their hands during use. Attachments have been sold by Betty Dodson on her website, which provides pictorial instructions on their use with the Magic Wand. For penile stimulation the massager can be applied directly; for prostate stimulation, it can be applied externally to the perineum or, with attachments such as the Gee Whiz, used for internal prostate stimulation. Another attachment made by an unaffiliated company is a sleeve for penile stimulation.

History

Debut as massager Hitachi listed the Magic Wand for business use with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on 25 April 1968. Hitachi Ltd. registered the trademark to the Magic Wand. It became available to the mass market in the U.S. during the 1970s and was advertised as a device to aid with massage techniques. It is effective at relieving pain associated with back aches, and is registered with the Food and Drug Administration as a physical medicine device under the classification therapeutic electric massager. The stated use of the Magic Wand is the soothing and relaxing of sore muscles and nerves, relieving tension, and rehabilitation after sports injuries.

Women's masturbation education

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.