When I came across an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on a university course on sex-toy design, I assumed that it was a gimmicky topic to increase student interest in a standard course. I could not have been more wrong.

Here are some of the highlights of the article, written by Tom Major:

“We live in a world that loves its personal devices . . .  in some cases, very personal.

“Sales of sex toys are booming, with an estimated 1 million items bought by Australians every year, and the number is only forecast to grow. But quality is not keeping pace with quantity, leaving a massive gap in the market for well-designed, high-value products.

“RMIT lecturer, Judith Glover, believes she has at least part of the solution–-one that might even position Australia at the forefront of a surging industry.

“The former boilermaker recently ran the world’s first university course on sex-toys, teaching Melbourne students how to apply industrial design principles to intimate appliances.

“’The porn industry still controls most designs, and the majority of their product is poor quality, high-mark-up stuff made in China–-some of it dangerous.

“’My idea was to bring proper industrial design principles to the sex industry, and challenge the large players who were recycling the same tired old products and ideas.’

“Dr Glover believes she has the world’s only PhD in sex toy design. Her doctorate focused on the role industrial design methods should play in crafting safe, user-friendly sex products. She believes there’s a new buzz in the industry, pointing to a ready supply of cashed-up, discerning female consumers fueling demand for better designs. . . .

“The Future Sex design studio is the brainchild of Dr Glover and student, Victoria Cullen. Fourteen undergraduates completed the 12-week studio course in 2015, creating designs addressing a range of sexual functions. . . .”

The complete article is available at: http://www.smh.com.au/national/melbournes-rmit-university-runs-design-course-on-how-to-make-sex-toys-20151224-glulcj.html#ixzz3wZS9lg3v