Do robots "for adults" replace real people?

Experts increasingly say that a robot will replace a person literally in everything. But what about the sexual side of life? However, even here the influence of progress is already becoming noticeable. Maybe, the relationships that we are familiar with will also go down in history.

©Depositphotos

Artificial intelligence or a doll?

First you need to determine what we want to create. Fantastic offer several options. There are human-like sex dolls, and a full-fledged AI (artificial intelligence), which is difficult to distinguish from the intelligence of a real person. An example is the film Ex Machina (2015). Robots here are not only like real women, but they can also imitate feelings and emotions. Simply put, they behave like ordinary people. Unfortunately (or fortunately), it will not be possible to create something similar in the foreseeable future. We do not even know if a full-fledged artificial intelligence will ever appear. Therefore, it is worth immediately highlighting two areas. The first is the creation of some kind of intellectual system that can think like a person. Second - the construction of an ordinary sex doll, designed to meet natural needs. We are talking, of course, about "advanced" high-tech samples, which will be very similar to humans in appearance. No matter how trivial this may sound, the second option is more relevant today. There is nothing shameful in this: this is the nature of man. Now consider a little closer solutions that have been proposed by developers in recent years.

Shot from the movie "Ex Machina" / ©Depositphotos

The taste and color ...

To paint all the sexual "toys" created by people, there is no sense. Let's look at the latest developments in this area. In 2009 saw the light of the device RealTouch, designed for men. This, of course, is not a full-fledged robot. In fact, we have a system that simulates the female genital organs of an oblong tube and rollers with "adult" content. RealTouch allows online simulation of the sensations experienced on the screen by the male actor. The gadget was called "realistic", although it did not have much commercial success. In general, such a duet of reality and virtuality has become very popular. Here you can recall the relatively simple LovePalz or the Japanese know-how, which allows you to imitate sex with manga or anime characters with the help of Oculus Rift glasses. There are many such developments, but they all share one thing: they did not revolutionize the market.

Abyss Creations presented another "transition stage" for sex with robots. Their offspring is called the Real Doll and has an amazing resemblance to a real woman. In the manufacture of these dolls, the most advanced modeling technologies and the most advanced materials are used. They are done manually individually for each client and cost from 5 to 10 thousand dollars each. Here it is necessary to specify at once: Real Dolls are not robotized and do not behave like real people. But they have loyal groups of fans and even "puppet doctors" who will come to the call, if a disaster happened with Real Doll.

Not far off is a real leap in the field of sex technologies. In 2010, Lincoln Park presented the TrueCompanion product at the adult goods exhibition Adult Entertainment Expo (USA), which was named the "world's first sex robot". In the body of the "companion», the creators have built in special sensors that react to touch. So, taking the robot by the hand, you can hear: "I like to hold your hand". The new Roxxxy (that's the name of the robot) can listen, talk and turn its head. At the same time, of course, she can not walk like a man. But the robot's skin is very similar to human. Externally and from a technical point of view, Roxxxy generally looks quite perfect. In addition, there are no restrictions on the use (for the intended purpose), and in the appendage to this the host can choose the appearance and character of Roxxxy. It weighs 54 kg with an increase of 1.70 m. If desired, you can connect the robot to the Internet and update its vocabulary. Already, by the way, a male version called Rocky was developed. The price of Roxxxy is 9.5 thousand dollars.

Roxxxy / ©Depositphotos

Sex of the future

Now even the most advanced sex robot is just a pale copy of what we could see in science fiction films. Modern technologies do not yet allow the creation of a fully functional sample that can replace a person. "The construction of a sex robot requires knowledge at the junction of a number of industries - from nanotechnology to reproduce the uneven structure of the skin to the artificial intelligence needed to understand speech," says Hey Vee Phlox, a specialist dealing with these issues. In turn, the futurist Madeline Ashby believes that such devices will have to go through a long evolutionary path. "I think at first it will be something cartoonish. It seems to me that this is a good way not to fall into the trap of the "sinister valley" - to make the face and appearance a cartoon, anime or computer game character. " Here it is necessary to explain: under the phrase "sinister valley" imply a dislike for the robot, which is not like a person in small things. This dislike can even be called fear.

Regardless of whether sex robots will be like people or cartoon heroes, one thing is clear: their price will be very high at first. At times higher than the one that is asked for "advanced" sex toys (including those described in the article) and dolls, similar to people. The possible price - from 50 thousand dollars and above. In this sex robots who will be able to walk and help a person, will not appear soon. Writer David Levy made an interesting prognosis on this score in the second half of the 2000s. In his opinion, the first marriage with a robot will be concluded in 2050. Given that in our time, some marry even with pillows, this option does not seem to be something incredible.

Robots of the future / ©Depositphotos

Commerce and morality

There is one more important aspect, which is constantly being paid attention. And this applies not only to representatives of certain religions. There are also scientists among the skeptics. So, Dr. Kathleen Richardson of the University of De Monfort (UK) believes that ordinary human relationships can be severely affected by new technologies. "It will come to the point that artificial relations replace natural ones," Kathleen says, "and they will be reduced to primitive physiology. No romantic feelings will remain. And this can ruin mankind, fundamentally changing the roles of men and women. "

Are all these fears justified? Yes and no. Sex robots have their pluses. They will help brighten up the life of single people and, perhaps, relieve some of the unnecessary quarrels and disappointments. But the full replacement of a human robot speech is not yet. After all, for this, as we have already said, you must first create an AI that would be comparable to the intelligence of a person. You can talk for a long time about the threat that robots carry for real relationships. But here one must understand one important thing: progress can not be stopped. And this concerns, among other things, robots for "specific" purposes. Their opponents can slow down the proliferation of such devices, but if the demand for such developments grows, then the proposal will not take long to wait. The legislative aspect, too, will not become an insurmountable barrier, although in a number of religious countries it can still slow down the process of distribution of such devices.

But what really can make a serious competition to sex robots, so this is augmented and virtual reality. Already in our time, technologies allow you to plunge into fictitious universes "with your head." Soon a person will simply lose the opportunity to distinguish reality from virtuality. Therefore, complex and expensive "intelligent" sex toys can be on the dump of history before they can reach the conveyor. And even before the technology is created to build something like that.