A tasp is an electronic device which stimulates the pleasure centers of the human brain, artificially inducing emotional and sexual satisfaction. This is done by running current through electrodes implanted in the brain or in the spine.

Until recently, the tasp was mere science fiction -- but now a surgeon in North Carolina trying to use electrodes to reduce pain accidentally stumbled across the part of the spinal cord which, when stimulated, provokes orgasm in women. A model that works on men cannot be too far behind. The surgeon said that the device must have programmed instructions to prevent it from being used too frequently -- something that the real inventors of the tasp have already thought of.

The tasp was originally conceived of by Larry Niven for his novels of Known Space; tasps were central plot devices in several of his Ringworld books. It has also been used by Spider Robinson as a plot device in his books Deathkiller and Lifehouse.