2016: the year of the sex robot?

GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
While I was driving home tonight, I heard an interesting story on talk radio. Apparently there are articles floating around that are saying that 2016 will be the year that the sex robot becomes a thing in the US.

At first, I had the same reaction that probably many of you had - "ha ha yeah, perverts are perverts after all, and body pillows and realdolls are a thing, so this is next I guess," but the longer I listened to the host and her guest (also female) talk about the subject favorably, the more it caused me to consider there might be more to it than just icky people doing icky things.

We're not just talking dolls with vibrators/sheaths/dildoes/realistic pliable anuses/etc, we're talking realistically moving constructs with artificial intelligence. Potential AI companions, lovers, perhaps even relationship partners.

Besides combatting loneliness and reducing the spread of STDs, they could in time help effect societal change in reducing the cultural pressure to have sex because you're "supposed" to, especially in young people. It can be a healthy thing, apparently. It could help fight teen pregnancy.

When I got home, I tried to find the article in question, but I wasn't really able to. I found a few ones in a similar vein.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/01/07/sex-robots-could-be-biggest-tech-trend-of-2016-5606545/

http://www.unilad.co.uk/sex/would-you-sleep-with-any-of-these-creepy-realistic-sex-robots/

http://motherboard.vice.com/en_ca/read/hot-robots-wont-end-sex

So what do you folks think? The next obvious step now that the stigma is starting to go away from masturbation and using sex toys? Or still just creepy wierdoes being yucky? Bear in mind, it's not all aimed at guys, either. There are already sex machines (from vibrators on up) made for female use.

Let's hear from you!
 
Dei

Dei

I mean, to me it seems more like glorified masturbation. Sorry. :p Plus, I don't care how sophisticated robotics is becoming, robotics is not yet at the point where a face won't be creepy vs. realistic.

Besides, once you start having sophisticated enough AI to make it more than that, does consent become an issue? I feel like we're still pretty far from that.
 
bhamv3

bhamv3

Personally I think a sexbot sounds like more trouble than it's worth (I mean, what's wrong with just using your hand?) but nonetheless I shall be following this issue with interest.
 
fade

fade

Staff member
Dei said:
I mean, to me it seems more like glorified masturbation. Sorry. :p Plus, I don't care how sophisticated robotics is becoming, robotics is not yet at the point where a face won't be creepy vs. realistic.

Besides, once you start having sophisticated enough AI to make it more than that, does consent become an issue? I feel like we're still pretty far from that.
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Depends on what you mean by pretty far. Last I heard, the AI guys at MIT are kind of in an "any day now" mode, with all sorts of prototypes and support software in the works. I mean, it's not something that would be commercial this year, but could be soon.
 
Dave

Dave

Staff member
So are those who aren't first adopters going to be called sloppy seconds?

Seriously, though, is this something we really need? With VR and sex robots, aren't we just making it so that more people turn into anti-social neckbeards simply because it's easier than real human interaction? I'm not trying to make light of anyone's social anxiety, but I would think this not only exacerbates the issue but will actually create more people who have it.
 
Dei

Dei

Japan is already kind of there, as far as the "social interaction it's too hard" point is concerned.
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

We are definitely slowly heading towards an antisocial distopia where most people won't need to - and won't - leave their house. Most everything can be house delivered, more and more jobs can be done from home and we're pushed towards it because of the environment, VR and the internet give us the ability to experience things "better" than if we were actually there. Life as depicted in "A Very Private Life", or, to stay more modern, "Ready Player One", is fast approaching.
I don't know if ex bots will really make that much of a difference. Dildo's and vibrators have been a thing for quite a while for women, Fleshlights exist. A combination of either with "good" VR will provide a more sex-like experience than practically anything a sexbot could achieve. After all, the specific parts will pretty much just *be* an integrated dildo or fleshlight. Visually, it'll be more fun to use a holodeck/VR headset/whatever to make it seem you're having sex with [insert person of your dreams] than to be looking at the same old doll every time. Yes, the feeling of actually touching a boob or a butt or whatever isn't there...But I haven't touched a single fake that could pass for the real thing yet.
 
Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

idk, I guess I'm a hedonist, but I see no problem with seeking out as much pleasure as humanly possible.

There are things a hand can't do, there are things a mouth can't do, there are things a vagina can't do, there are even things an asshole can't do, but there's NOTHING a robot can't do.
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

Charlie Don't Surf said:
idk, I guess I'm a hedonist, but I see no problem with seeking out as much pleasure as humanly possible.

There are things a hand can't do, there are things a mouth can't do, there are things a vagina can't do, there are even things an asshole can't do, but there's NOTHING a robot can't do.
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Love you (back)? be emotionally invested? Procreate (for now)? Fill the void in your heart? Make you feel wanted and appreciated in life?

Admittedly, for most of those, a dog will do, but I'm not convinced the combination "good dog" and "sexbot" will replace everyone's love life.
 
fade

fade

Staff member
Bubble181 said:
Love you (back)? be emotionally invested? Procreate (for now)? Fill the void in your heart? Make you feel wanted and appreciated in life?

Admittedly, for most of those, a dog will do, but I'm not convinced the combination "good dog" and "sexbot" will replace everyone's love life.
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annoyed-piccard.jpg

Oh come on. Is that like the the biggest punchline setup ever or what?
 
drawn_inward

drawn_inward

Bubble181 said:
I don't know about you, but I, for one, can tell the difference, physically and chemically, between sex with someone just for fun, or because you love one another.
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Female dog = bitch.

It was a crude joke, mon ami.

But, I agree with your comment. Having sex without real love/connection is just masturbation.[DOUBLEPOST=1452268991,1452268844][/DOUBLEPOST]
GasBandit said:
Personally, while the concept of an artificially intelligent robot you can have sex with is intriguing, what I really want is a robot who can cook and clean.

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You want a woman that will cook and clean and have sex any time you want? I can hear the hoards of feminists at the gate. You're on your own buddy.
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

GasBandit said:
Personally, while the concept of an artificially intelligent robot you can have sex with is intriguing, what I really want is a robot who can cook and clean.
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Rosie's got some junk in the trunk. I mean literally, I'm pretty sure that's a storage compartment.
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

He says he's a hedonist and wants as much pleasure as possible. I'm perfectly fine with that - heck, I'm perfectly A-OK with sex for fun, with anyone and anything you want, as often as you want - and in that sense, sure, a bot can revolutionize masturbation. Doesn't mean sex with an actual person who cares about isn't actually still preferable and more fun. As a good hedonist, if you're looking for the highest possible amount of return, you want an open relationship with plenty of kinky stuff and availability, not a bot.
Saying, in relation to sex, that there's "nothing" a robot can't do, increasing-fun-times-wise, is, to me, false. Which is what I'm saying. I'm not saying he's wrong for wanting a lot of sex, or wanting to have a lot of fun, or for thinking a robot will be a lot of fun.[DOUBLEPOST=1452269319,1452269234][/DOUBLEPOST]
drawn_inward said:
Female dog = bitch.

It was a crude joke, mon ami.
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Yes, of course, I was reacting to Charlie, not you.

You don't think I made a post like that without the intent of getting a bunch of bitchy jokes in return, do you? :p
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
drawn_inward said:
You want a woman that will cook and clean and have sex any time you want? I can hear the hoards of feminists at the gate. You're on your own buddy.
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Nah, I just think that if I can get a robot that will do the former, it will make it more possible to find and keep a woman who likes the latter.
 
drawn_inward

drawn_inward

I like cooking, but if I could have a cleaning robot that would be super-sweet.[DOUBLEPOST=1452270483,1452270399][/DOUBLEPOST]Cleaning is the worst. If we scrub and clean the kitchen, then we'll be happy until we walk into the disaster of the rest of the house.
 
Dave

Dave

Staff member
I'd like one that did dishes and laundry. Our house doesn't have a dishwasher and we have to do them by hand. It SUUUUUUUUCKS!
 
Eriol

Eriol

Dave said:
I'd like one that did dishes and laundry. Our house doesn't have a dishwasher and we have to do them by hand. It SUUUUUUUUCKS!
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Did it for 2 years in an apartment that didn't have one. Don't want to repeat that ever again.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

I don't for one minute think that this is at all about trying to forge a relationship with an inanimate object. Instead, I see it being used for something like overcoming anxiety - we already have robots that simulate driving, rodeo, etc. for "practice," a sex robot might help a person get over the first-timer will-I-be-able-to-perform anxiety. There are even potential medical benefits. In fact, I'm sure the only reason we don't have full-on sex robots by now is the same reason Pixar or Dreamworks doesn't have a porn division...it's just due to fear of backlash over such a sensitive subject.

Yes, there will be those folks who really are into it for the machine sex. Rule 34, and all that.

--Patrick
 
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