An artificial vagina is a device designed to imitate the female sex organ. To achieve this, it will generally be made of a soft material, lubricated, and sometimes heated. There are different types of artificial vaginas. They may be designed for medical research purposes, animal breeding, or as a sex toy for erotic stimulation. Strokers and sleeves are sex toys usually designed as a handheld way to simulate a sex act, while an artificial vagina installed in a sex doll can be used hands-free.
Veterinary use
Artificial vaginas are widely used by farms in cattle artificial insemination programs and semen collection centers for collecting animal sperm and its further application. An artificial vagina designed for collecting semen will imitate some or all of the anatomical features and behaviors of an animal's vagina. There are several types of collecting apparatus, but the general design uses a tube with a normally sterile inner liner and hard outer shell. The walls of the tube may be hollow and filled with warm water to mimic a natural body temperature for better results, and may contain a filter to separate the semen.
Human use
An artificial vagina, stroker, masturbation aid, masturbator, or pocket pussy is designed to simulate the sensation of sexual intercourse on the erect penis and to induce orgasm and ejaculation. It will often have moving parts such as vibrators that increase stimulation rather than accurately simulate a woman's vagina. Usually the artificial vagina has a realistic or close to realistic appearance with a sleeve, where the penis can be inserted. The sleeve, or as it is also called "vaginal tunnel", measures in average from 10 to 20 centimetres and can have an open end for inserting a vibrating bullet, if the user wishes.
Types
Realistic
This type of artificial vagina is modeled on female genitals. For marketing purposes many manufacturers design the vagina like the exact replica of some famous pornographic actress' vulva. Realistic vaginas are made to simulate the natural physiology: pubic bones, hair, labia, all natural creases and dimples, etc. Several realistic vaginas are manufactured with a narrower anal orifice for those users who also like to simulate anal sex. The natural vagina has a series of ridges called rugae, and manufacturers often add nubs or ribs into artificial vaginas to simulate the rugae and enhance pleasure. In Japan, onacups are popular disposable artificial vaginas that simulate various sex acts and come with lubricant already inside.
Vibrating
These artificial vaginas superficially resemble the previous one, but they have the added feature of a vibrating element — usually a removable vibrating bullet that can be easily inserted into a hole into the bottom or the end of the sleeve. For more intensive sensations there are a variety of functions: vibrating, pulsating, surging, rotating, multi-speed, etc. Vibrating bullets are usually controlled by a panel connected by a wire. Some kinds of vibrating artificial vagina are designed effect, replicating the role of a penis pump—with a bulb squeezed by the user.
Strokers
Strokers are generally more discreet than other male masturbators. The inside of a stroker features a textured canal that stimulates the penis while the outside is often ridged to ensure a good grip during use. Some automatic strokers are powered by electric motors to simulate the sensations of sexual movements.
Improvised
In prison slang, a "fifi" refers to an artificial vagina usually made by rolling a trash bag or condom inside of a towel, and using some sort of lubricant such as hand lotion. These are also referred to as "fifi towels" or "fifi bags".
Transgender
In 2016, Buck Angel partnered with a sex toy company to release the Buck-Off FTM Stroker. It's designed "for t-cock/enlarged clitoris" of a transgender man on hormone replacement therapy. It was the first such product, and won both an XBIZ Award and an AVN Award. Later, a smaller variant for people not on HRT called the Kiss-X was released.
Materials
The artificial vagina as a sex toy is designed from materials that imitate the feel of natural skin. The materials used in manufacturing artificial vaginas are stretchable and elastic to accommodate different penis sizes.
Cyberskin, Ultra realistic or Futurotic and some other patented materials - natural-feeling materials that are quite porous, therefore requiring special care before and after use. These materials from the trademarked lines are also sensual and plush.
Plants - hollow cucumbers, banana skins, papayas and other produce are widely available, low cost, and have a flesh-like texture.
Rubber - a flexible and resilient material with high durability. The porous rubber makes it hard to clean.
Soft plastics - popular material for sex toys that has a jelly-like feel, though it has a plasticizer odor.
TPE - Most common and can be used to make dolls more cheaply than silicone.
The above materials are all porous and therefore require special care and cleaning to avoid bacterial accumulation. Manufacturers recommend protecting them by applying a condom during use. This is less of a concern with artificial vaginas made from silicone, which, while generally more expensive, is non-porous and can be disinfected after cleaning with a bleach solution or heat.
