Belarussian designer Constantin Bolimond has created a modular sex gadget made up of elements that differ in shape, texture and colour, and provide a variety of vibration, rotation and temperature settings (+ slideshow).

As the latest in a string of designers to work on sex toys, Bolimond designed the device in response to a distinct lack of "useful unusual solutions" on the sex toy market.

The silicone device – named Inme – allows users to "experiment with their sex life" by stacking up combinations of textured pieces, and customising movements on a mobile app.

The pieces range in intensity. Some are covered in protruding spikes with rounded tops, while others are subtly ribbed.

Inme features a battery-powered base that is used to power each piece. Connections between each element are airtight, so the gadget can be used up to two metres underwater.

"I found this theme really interesting because of the lack of useful unusual solutions in this field," he told Dezeen. "The uniqueness of this toy is an opportunity to choose elements that differ in their shape, texture, colour and properties."

"Each element has a limited set of functions, such as rotation, vibration, bending, temperature and so on," he added. "By using an application you can control different elements or adapt them the beat of the music."

University of Brighton graduate Amber Defroand similarly designed a vibrator with interchangeable shafts to "enable women to personalise their sexual experiences".

Others are more concerned with tackling sex-toy stereotypes, including Czech designer Anna Maresova who created a minimal-looking range of vibrators, and Dutch designer Mark Sturkenboom's idea for a dildo with a compartment for storing the ashes of a deceased partner.

Rita Catinella Orrell, a design journalist based in New Jersey, says that sex toys have become more artistic and sophisticated in recent years due to changing tastes and technological advancements.

"With sales of sexual wellness products projected to grow to $32 billion by 2019, sex toys are an incredible opportunity for new designers," she told Dezeen.

Cheap novelty items once relegated to seedy shops are now "greatly outnumbered by sleek designs made from proven or still-emerging technologies", she added.