I suspect we might attain sufficient dream/sensation implants (dreams planted by suggestion maybe?) before robots pass the uncanny valley. One benefit of the former is privacy; kinda hard to hide a life-size robot from the cleaner, friends, etc. Much easier to secrete simulation files and combine them with your Rift/similar.<p>At first, I think we'll see 360 degree films or animations for the Rift using professional actors. Then the same, but pirate versions with non-porn actors (models and movie stars) and the publicity will be driven by uproar by the actresses in question, Streisand Effect-style. From there, I think it's inevitable that we'll have design-your-own based on motion capture with tweakable body shape and uploadable face images. Some of this might be raw in the early days, but the keenest put up with glacial modems and low-res pictures for years.<p>With time, AI-driven 3D models will become the norm. Porn actors will lend their brand to "signature styles" and moves encoded in software. The next two steps from the 360 degree experiences will be repeated here, but with live-tweaking of modes (nice, naughty, language preferences, etc).<p>I think a purely physical experience with a hardware robot is decades away.<p>For personal physical sensations other than DIY, I think we're more likely to see tactile gloves and some sort of codpiece?! I just hope someone comes up with a more marketable term than that!
Gotta say men have and will for ever more stick their dicks into pretty much anything.<p>I wouldn't be surprised if 'sexbots' actually advance realistic robots quicker as suddenly there is profit to be made.
If you've ever known a nurse who worked in an accident & emergency department then you've probably heard stories about how people <i>already</i> have sex with all manner of strange things.
If they look like the ones in the (btw <i>excellent</i>) Swedish series 'Real Humans', then the anser is: without doubt :P<p><i>edit</i>: the sex thing plays quite a role in the series and it's layed out well - eg a modshop where you can get your robot modified to become more wild/slavish/... in bed, elderly women buying robots as 'company' etc. Recommended.
When robots become as attractive as people, there will be no reason for progress to stop at that exact point, so they will quickly become much more attractive. At that point, people who used to be "unattractive" will celebrate because they can finally get a good mate, while people who used to be "attractive" will develop serious self esteem issues. The attractive people will try to take collective action to keep their share of the market, like branding everyone who has sex with robots a "loser" or worse.
What I wonder is - If you're married and have sex with a robot, is that cheating? And does whether it is cheating or not depend on the degree to which the AI is "lifelike"?
The whole concept reminds of the Futurama episode 'I dated a Robot' (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Dated_a_Robot" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Dated_a_Robot</a>)<p>It satirises this idea rather well.
I do like how they imply men are those who would first take advantage of robots for this purpose. I guess as a society the idea of female self stimulation is a no no in the press? Battery operated boyfriends are just a few extra limbs from being robotic are they not? Its certainly easier to recreate a penis than a vagina.<p>I think the real issue is, will anatomically correct robots become human enough to fall in love with. People certainly don't need them to be human enough to get their jollies
Why would you need AI in a sex robot? People don't go to strip clubs for the great conversation. Though I suppose the AI is the difference between a sex robot and a sex doll. And I suppose any intelligence is better than faked or clever AI. Otherwise you might as well be having sex with a human look-alike Teddy Ruxbin.<p>The $9K price tag estimate isn't too bad. That's probably cheaper than than a lot of people spend on their significant others, not counting accessories so that you can feel like you are getting some "strange" every once in a while.<p>Maybe this could be Apple's next big thing. I don't mind Windows, but the idea of having sex with something which has a Microsoft logo makes me not want to have sex.
> While no machine, however well-engineered, can ever feel empathy - something which defines us humans - it might be able to simulate it well enough to allow us to play along and treat it as if it were a sentient being.<p>The author seems awfully certain of that although this question isn't anywhere near settled yet. If anything, I feel that the prevailing opinion among philosophers and AI researchers is that robots might indeed one day feel empathy and become sentient.
Reminds me to this THX 1138 scene <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn-Sa0MlFkg" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn-Sa0MlFkg</a>
Actually, we rented a Real Doll mannequin 12 years ago and was quite real in every aspect. After a interviewing the creator, he was talking about models with mechanical parts, with servos and other stuff to make the real doll alive. I don't know if he reached the goal, but keep in mind is really easy to do such and wouldn't be bad for those who enjoyed the doll as a sexual partner.
From the article - "we would be having sex with robots in five years - and be capable of falling in love with them within 40 years"<p>Let's start the "Human-Robots Marriage Rights" petition now... might take some time for society to accept it!
Why do these articles always confuse the desire to orgasm with a desire for companionship? I'm pretty sure that argument wouldn't be used to defend prostitution over sex with a robot.
Given that people are already willing to have 'sex' with all kinds of sex toys ...
The interesting point will be when humanlike emotions start to appear in the robots.
> The main drawback of this type of robot is that they have a very short battery life - they only last for about 20 minutes.<p>Who wants to have sex more than four times anyways?