If you're not able to snuggle up with your partner this evening and give them a loving kiss on the lips, then China may have a solution.
Introducing one of the most unique cell phone accessories we've ever seen: the Remote Kiss.
The bizarre device is the brainchild of a university team in China's Jiangsu province, with university graduate Jiang Zhongli listed as its leading inventor, per NextShark.
Speaking about how he first came up with the idea, Zhongli said: "In my university, I was in a long distance relationship with my girlfriend so we only contact with each other through phone. That's where the inspiration of this device originated."
After further research and development, the romantic contraption was later patented by the Changzhou Vocational Institute of Mechatronic Technology and Zhongli in 2019.
But how exactly does it work? Well, using an accompanying cell phone app, the user is able to "upload" their passionate smooch - with a set of moving silicon "lips" then recreating the physical intimacy for the receiver.
In fact, according to its description on Taobao, the lips promise to mimic "the actual pressure, movement, and heat of a kisser’s lips". Mmmm, so romantic.
The device is currently on sale for 260 yuan (around $37 USD), but according to CNN, responses online have been mixed - with some people loving the creativity of the device and others left perplexed.
Some social media users on Weibo (a Twitter-like platform), described the Remote Kiss as "creepy" and "vulgar".
But despite clearly making some people feel uneasy, The South China Morning Post reports that Taobao is currently selling around 100 units a month in China. One review on the page simply stated: "Thank you, technology".
Zhongli has added that the devices should be used to reinforce the bond of a monogamous relationship and that both parties must consent before locking lips.
So, is this the sort of thing you can see buying for your significant other? Let us know in the comments. I just want to know if they sell one that comes with a tongue. (Asking for a friend, okay?)
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