LAS VEGAS, Jan 11, 2009 (AFP) - Virtual sex is coming.

While nearby porn stars autographed action photos and flashed their assets for camera-clutching fans at the annual Adult Entertainment Expo, Brett Drysdale discretely demonstrated "the newest breakthrough in sex technology."

He slipped two fingers into a rocket-shaped RealTouch device "developed and tested by a former NASA engineer" contains belts, lubrication jets, heating elements and other gadgetry programmed to give men the feeling of sex.

One end of the canister-type devices sized to fit easily in one's lap is made of soft "Haptic" synthetic material akin to that used for nipples of baby bottles.

The faux-flesh wall is slotted to allow the insertion of a body part of a man's choosing.

RealTouch devices connect to computers with USB cables and synchronize with adult movies streamed online so the inner workings replicate what a fellow might be feeling were he to be the man in the film.

"You watch the action on a screen and a signal is sent to the box to simulate what is happening," Drysdale said.

The device works with video from an online RealTouch "theater" at a price of one dollar per minute. RealTouch is priced at 150 US dollars and begins selling in the US in February.

RealTouch product manager Drysdale said Sunday that it will be available internationally by mid-year.