• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Your Membership
    • Edit Your Profile
  • Services
    • Advertising
    • Case studies
    • Design
    • Email marketing
    • Lead generation
    • Magazine
    • Press releases
    • Publishing
    • Sponsored posts
    • Webcasting
    • Webinars
    • White papers
    • Writing
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Cart
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Terms of use
  • Events

Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

  • News
  • Features
  • Video
  • Webinars
  • White papers
  • Press releases
  • Featured companies
    • AMD Xilinx
    • BlueBotics
    • Elite Robot
    • RGo Robotics
    • SICK Sensor Intelligence
    • Vicor Power
sex robot illustration

Nobody’s perfect: Future relationships with humanoid robots

May 17, 2018 by Sam Francis

The concept of creating the perfect companion has probably been a central theme in works of science fiction since the beginning of science fiction. 

Although Frankenstein’s monster is not everyone’s idea of the perfect companion, Mary Shelley wrote the novel before 1818, when it was first published.

That’s at least 200 years since someone described a mad scientist who creates a human-like being in a lab using means other than natural procreation.

Nowadays, tissue engineering labs have become highly skilled at producing cells for muscles, skin, organs and bones for use in the building of a human body.

Whether anyone has actually attempted to build a full human body is not known, but certainly, the constituent parts are routinely made now.

How this collection of tissue which could be referred to as a human can be brought to life is debatable, but it seems that the available solution is robotics.

A robotic system – or a mechatronic system – underneath the tissue-engineered exterior is what we’re talking about.

The mechanics is the difficult part – moving around in a natural way is not as easy as humans make it look.

The electronics and software seem to have arrived at a stage where Google is having to apologise for making its virtual robot so realistic that it fooled some humans into believing they were communicating with another human – and they didn’t like it.

The film Her may have over-stated it at the time, and made the virtual artificially intelligent voice-responsive robot seem flawless, but such a situation is not too far off.

So, even if the mechanical components make for a slightly clunky robot, and the software isn’t totally perfect, what can be achieved now is quite amazing if customers are willing to pay for it.

High-quality mechanical components underneath and lab-engineered human tissue encasing: this has been the approximate composition put forward in a number of relatively recent films, such as The Stepford Wives and Ex Machina among others.

A similar construction is shown for the robots in Westworld, which actually shows how the actual construction process might be taking place – with robotic arms sculpting the robots out of synthetic human tissue.

It’s probably prohibitively expensive to produce robots in this way – not commercially viable for the mass market, but not beyond the means of someone who can afford a top-of-the-range sports car.

At the moment, the term “sex robots” is used to refer to this whole sector, but perhaps that is a term that puts people off and hides the sophistication at this level of science and technology.

International laws probably ban human cloning, but there probably are no laws covering a human-like robot made in the way we’ve described above.

But legal and ethical considerations aside for a moment, let’s see some of the market activity for these ultra-realistic humanoid robots.

China, the centre of so many things robotics these days, has a number of companies which produce humanoid “sex robots”.

Often called sex “cyborgs”, or sex “dolls”, these machines look highly realistic in some pictures, as can be seen on the Daily Star website.

The companies include Realbotix, Synthea Amatus, and DS Doll. The dolls are said to be artificially intelligence and inexpensive.

Until now, such AI humanoids have been too expensive to manufacture in significant numbers.

However, judging by the way they look, their encasements are mostly made of plastic or rubber, which – though the robots look very impressively realistic – still fall short of the quality of humanoid robots seen in the films.

But while they may not meet our neo-pretentious standards, these robots are actually selling quite well.

At around $10,000 each, they probably represent good value to some people.

Some customers apparently ask dolls to be made to look like their favourite celebrities.

Actually, WWE wrestlers, superheroes and Hollywood actors and actresses are among the most popular requests.

Among the pictures we have seen is one doll that looks very similar to Scarlett Johansson.

Another one is said to look like Justin Beiber, although we can’t see the resemblance.

Generally speaking, celebrities tend to own rights to their image, meaning companies cannot just make something in their likeness without their permission.

It’s difficult to say how much money is in the market since not many have conducted research into it, but some people have said the business can be lucrative.

An article on The Guardian website suggests the sex robot sector is of a significant size since it falls with the $30 billion “sex tech industry”.

Whether you can call this romance or not is beyond our ability to judge since we do feel rather unqualified to comment.

What with AI becoming better able to converse in a human-like way and materials science offering a new class of components for the physics, relationships seem set to become a lot more complicated than they used to be.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Skype
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Pocket

You might also like…

Filed Under: Features, Humanoids Tagged With: humanoid, sex robot

Join the Robotics & Automation News community

Primary Sidebar

Latest articles

  • ASI and SICK optimize and automate logistics truck yard operations
  • Fugro provides uncrewed surface vessel to TAQA
  • Radial selects Covariant to automate e-commerce fulfillment with AI-powered robotics
  • Aerones demonstrates ‘first’ robot for wind turbine maintenance and repair
  • Electric Future: Two-wheels good, four wheels not so much
  • Electric Future: Battery production facilities bloom on both sides of the Atlantic
  • Electric Future: MIT showcases electric autonomous boat technology
  • Electric Future: Siemens providing software platform to support nascent electric airplane market
  • Electric Future: Stalled car revolution
  • Scythe Robotics secures $42 million new financing to accelerate production of zero-emissions autonomous mower

Most Read

  • Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
    Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
  • Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
    Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
  • Berkshire Grey and Locus Robotics combine to offer ‘industry-first’ cross-platform robotic automation
    Berkshire Grey and Locus Robotics combine to offer ‘industry-first’ cross-platform robotic automation
  • Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
    Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
  • Universal Robots reports record annual revenue of $326 million
    Universal Robots reports record annual revenue of $326 million
  • Mercedes-Benz becomes ‘world’s first’ automotive company to certify SAE Level 3 system for US market
    Mercedes-Benz becomes ‘world’s first’ automotive company to certify SAE Level 3 system for US market
  • Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
    Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
  • Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in on-demand manufacturing startup Machina Labs
    Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in on-demand manufacturing startup Machina Labs
  • The Best Mechanical Engineering Design Software in 2022
    The Best Mechanical Engineering Design Software in 2022
  • Electric Future: Stalled car revolution
    Electric Future: Stalled car revolution

Overused words

ai applications automated automation automotive autonomous business china companies company control customers data design development digital electric global industrial industry logistics machine manufacturing market mobile operations platform process production robot robotic robotics robots safety software solution solutions system systems technologies technology time vehicle vehicles warehouse

Secondary Sidebar

Latest news

  • ASI and SICK optimize and automate logistics truck yard operations
  • Fugro provides uncrewed surface vessel to TAQA
  • Radial selects Covariant to automate e-commerce fulfillment with AI-powered robotics
  • Aerones demonstrates ‘first’ robot for wind turbine maintenance and repair
  • Electric Future: Two-wheels good, four wheels not so much
  • Electric Future: Battery production facilities bloom on both sides of the Atlantic
  • Electric Future: MIT showcases electric autonomous boat technology
  • Electric Future: Siemens providing software platform to support nascent electric airplane market
  • Electric Future: Stalled car revolution
  • Scythe Robotics secures $42 million new financing to accelerate production of zero-emissions autonomous mower

Footer

We are…

Robotics and Automation News was established in May, 2015, and is now one of the most widely-read websites in its category.

Please consider supporting us by becoming a paying subscriber, or through advertising and sponsorships, or by purchasing products and services through our shop – or a combination of all of the above.

Thank you.

Independent

Archivists

May 2018
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  
« Apr   Jun »

Complex

Old-skool

This website and its associated magazine, and weekly newsletter, are all produced by a small team of experienced journalists and media professionals.

If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact us at any of the email addresses on our contact page.

We’d be happy to hear from you, and will always reply as soon as possible.

Future-facing

Free, fair and legal

We support the principles of net neutrality and equal opportunities.

Member of The Internet Defense League

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT