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Global chip shortage could hamper Bay Area companies production of items like guitar pedals and sex toys
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A slowdown in the manufacture of computer chips has caused a shortage affecting companies across the globe.Gao Yuwen / Getty Images
Pleasure is a profoundly important part of the human experience, but without the right microchips it’s difficult to deliver, says Michael Topolovac, CEO of San Francisco sex toy maker Crave Innovations.
His company sells self-pleasure devices, some of which are designed to be small and discrete enough to wear around the neck like jewelry and require precise electronics design. Topolovac stocked up on critical chips and components that his products are built around months ago, anticipating a shortage that is now a reality. While his stocks are holding, without them his company wouldn’t be able to deliver the pleasure it promises. Other Bay Area companies are now finding themselves scrambling for the t