Sex robot

Last updated

Sex robots or sexbots are anthropomorphic robotic sex dolls that have human-like movement or behavior, and some degree of artificial intelligence. [1] [2] As of 2018, although elaborately instrumented sex dolls have been created by a number of inventors, no fully animated sex robots yet exist. Simple devices have been created which can speak, make facial expressions, or respond to touch. [3] [4]

Contents

There is controversy as to whether developing them would be morally justifiable. [5] [6] In 2015, robot ethicist Kathleen Richardson called for a ban on the creation of anthropomorphic sex robots with concerns about normalizing relationships with machines and reinforcing female dehumanization. [7] [8] [9] Questions about their ethics, effects, and possible legal regulations have been discussed since then.

Lexicology

People who are sexually attracted to sexbots are sometimes referred to as digisexuals [10] or robosexuals. [11] [12]

Sexbots with a male shape design may be referred to as malebots [13] or manbots. [14] Gender neutral terms for sex robots include pleasure bot [15] or sex droid. [16] Sexbots with a female shape design have been referred to as chick-bots [17] or fembots. [18]

History and development

The sex robot has evolved from sex doll precursors that stem back as far as the 16th century, during which French and Spanish sailors created hand-sewn masturbation puppets made of cloth, leather and old clothes. [19] Many scholars consider this creation to be the direct predecessor of modern sex dolls. Much of the inspiration for creating the modern sex doll came from mannequin-based art created by Hans Bellmer, Man Ray and Salvador Dalí. Man Ray claimed that surrealists, including himself and Dalí, infused their work with eroticism and personally "violated" their mannequins. For example, Dalí's Rainy Taxi centered on a female mannequin whose half-undressed body was crawling with live snails. [20]

An artist's conception of a humanoid sex robot from the 1954 science fiction magazine Galaxy Galaxy 195409.jpg
An artist's conception of a humanoid sex robot from the 1954 science fiction magazine Galaxy

By 1968, inflatable dolls were first advertised in pornographic magazines and became available for purchase via mail. These sex dolls were inflatable with air; consisting of penetration areas at the mouth, vagina, and anus. However, due to their inflatable nature, these dolls were subject to deterioration and were not sustainable for constant use. By the 1970s, materials such as latex and silicone were widely used in the manufacturing of sex dolls to facilitate enhanced durability and a greater resemblance to a human. [21]

The realism of sex dolls greatly accelerated in the late 1990s. In 1997, Matt McMullen began constructing lifelike, tin-cured silicone rubber mannequins called RealDolls that were "realistic, posable, and life-sized". McMullen received much criticism about the anatomical correctness of his mannequins, using this as motivation to create a more enhanced version. In 2009, McMullen switched to using platinum-cured material, instead of tin-cured silicone, to further enhance the durability and lifelike nature of the doll. Consequently, all other sex doll manufacturers have followed suit.

Many manufacturers, including Matt McMullen, believed that companionship is a critical part of the sexbot dynamic and that incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into them is the next step. [22] [23] As of 2018, various new models have been constructed to hold conversations, remember important facts, and express various emotions. One such model is "Harmony", created by McMullen, which is customizable by using a mobile app, where users can choose from "thousands of possible combinations of looks, clothes, personalities and voices to make your perfect companion". [24]

State of research

Sex robots are still in a relatively early stage of development. While sex dolls have been available on the market for more than 20 years and there are accordingly established doll owner communities available for research, experienced users of sex robots are hardly to be found so far. [25] Nevertheless, the topic of sex robots has been treated quite intensively in international research since 2007, triggered by David Levy's monograph Love and Sex With Robots. A systematic research review from the year 2020 was able to identify 98 international academic publications on sex robots. [26] These academic sex robot publications focus on the following six research questions:

  1. What are the appropriate theoretical conceptualizations of sex robots?
  2. What are the main ethical aspects of sex robots?
  3. What empirical findings on the use and effects of sex robots are available?
  4. How are sex robots represented in art and media?
  5. How should child sex robots be regulated legally?
  6. What are the appropriate designs and design processes for sex robots?

The majority of the available academic sex robot publications deals with ethical aspects, [27] focusing on both currently available sex robots (that have only very limited artificial intelligence and interactivity) and future sex robots (that are envisioned as being sentient and having a free will). While at least some findings on experienced users are available on sex dolls, corresponding empirical data on sex robot users are missing. [25] [26] The academic sex robot discourse is – similar to the public discourse – so far characterized by relatively striking ideas about strong positive [28] or strong negative [29] effects of sex robots. Weak as well as ambivalent effects, which are theoretically and empirically most probable, are rarely discussed. [26]

Likewise, sex robots are often regarded and criticized as predetermined products. Rarely is it considered in the state of research so far that the appearance as well as the functions and target groups of sex robots can be actively designed, for example by and for women, queer people, older people or people with disabilities. [30] [31] Those human-centered design processes can be the subject of academic sex robot research as well. [31]

The sex robot research community meets at the "International Love and Sex With Robots Conference" [32] series initiated by David Levy held for the sixth time in 2021 as the "6th International Congress on Love & Sex with Robots".

Predictions

In 2014, David Levy said in an interview with Newsweek that "I believe that loving sex robots will be a great boon to society ... There are millions of people out there who, for one reason or another, cannot establish good relationships." He estimates that this will take place by the mid-21st century. [33]

In 2017, MIT Press published the first book on this topic, Robot Sex, with a preliminary approach to the several challenges this field represents for human beings and societies.

Claimed potential benefits

Scholars such as Hojjat Abdollahi argue that these robots can act as "robot companions" that aid elderly people with dementia or depression. After conducting a study on many elderly patients, it was found that elderly individuals were interested in having an intimate robot as their companion and their interest did not decay over time. He further explains that these patients established meaningful rapport with the robot companion and that they greatly valued its presence. [34] Bioethicist Nancy S. Jecker also suggests that older people with disabilities lose their sexual functioning because of physical changes, due to aging and disease, but also because of social stigma and scorn. Jecker argues that these robots are a way to "support dignity" and continue the ability to be sexual by dispelling ageism and negative stereotypes about later-life sexuality. [35] The robot companion "Paro", created by Takanori Shibata, has been used since 2009 as a therapeutic machine for the elderly suffering with dementia as well as those suffering from depression and anxiety. Paro is designed to respond to touch, remember faces and learn certain actions that promote a favorable reaction in the patient. Although Paro was not designed to be a sex robot specifically, Paro is an example of how intelligent machines could become a suitable therapeutic option. [36] [37]

Some manufacturers have also argued that their introductions into prisons may reduce prison rape and sexual tension in prison. Prison inmates suffer from both separation from their partners and the limited possibility of gaining such a partner in prison, and they often turn to sexual harassment and the threat of rape as a result. [38] Scholars like Oliver Bendel suggest that sex robots could be the solution to establishing sexual health and diminishing sexual tensions beyond in prison. [39]

Manufacturers have also suggested sex robots may alleviate sexlessness in encumbered professions such as long-haul truck drivers or all-male oil rigs. [40] Sex robots can also help avoid problems of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and sexual violence, which would be issues in brothels and with prostitutes. [41]

Attempts at realization

There are ongoing attempts to make sex dolls socially interactive. In 2010, a sex doll called Roxxxy, that had the capacity to play back pre-recorded speech cues, was demonstrated at a trade show. [42] In 2015, Matt McMullen, the creator of the RealDoll stated that he intended to create intelligent sex dolls with the capacity to hold conversations. [43]

Barcelona-based Dr. Sergi Santos developed a sex robot named Samantha; the robot can switch between a "sex mode" (which can include Samantha simulating a female orgasm [44] ) and a "family mode", [45] in which it can also can tell jokes and discuss philosophy. [46]

In 2017, Matt McMullen created a sex doll called "Harmony", which has the capability of learning about the personal preferences, wants and desires of the owner. Furthermore, Harmony can smile, blink and frown in a nearly human-like fashion. She can hold a conversation, tell jokes, remember food preferences, and the names of the owner's siblings. The cost of Harmony is said to be roughly $15,000. [3] During an onstage interview with Engadget in 2018, Matt McMullen demonstrated that the skin on Harmony's face could be peeled off and replaced with different skin. He subsequently added a different colored wig and changed her personality by using the app on his handheld device that controls the robot. He named this sex doll "Solana" and considers it to be the "sister" of Harmony. [47]

Also in 2017, Chinese company AI Tech released a sex robot named "Emma" that could talk in both English and Chinese. Emma has built in sensors that cause it to moan when touched and can be heated to a human body temperature. The robot also uses AI so that, according to a company representative, "the more you talk with her, the more clever she will become." [48]

Other companies such as Doll Sweet, Lux Botics, MISSDOLL, and Eden Robotics are in the process of developing sex robots with automated movements. [49] Using animatronics, Roberto Cardenas, an entrepreneur for Eden Robotics, claims that his Android Love Dolls are capable of placing themselves in 20 different sex positions with the help of AI body movement. [50] Current sex robots on the market are not able to perform any full body movements.

In 2018, Realbotix, the company behind the RealDoll, announced the creation of the first-ever male sex bot, Henry. Henry will have a customizable bionic penis which will be able to "go as long as you want" as it plugs into electricity instead of using batteries. Buyers will also be able to order a customizable robotic head that can be controlled by an app on the user's phone. [51]

Opposition

In September 2015, Kathleen Richardson of De Montfort University and Erik Billing of the University of Skövde created the Campaign Against Sex Robots, calling for a ban on the creation of anthropomorphic sex robots. [7] [52] [53] [54] Richardson is critical of David Levy and argues that the introduction of such devices would be socially harmful and demeaning to women and children. [7] [29]

In September 2015, the Japanese company Softbank, the makers of the "Pepper" robot, included a ban on robot sex. The robot's user agreement states: "The policy owner must not perform any sexual act or other indecent behaviour". [55] [56]

Noel Sharkey, Aimee van Wynsberghe, and Eleanor Hancock of the Foundation for Responsible Robotics released a consultation report presenting a summary of the issues and various opinions about what could be society's intimate association with robots. [57] The report includes an examination of how such robots could be employed as a rehabilitative tool for sex criminals such as serial rapists or pedophiles. Sharkey warns that this could be "problematic" in terms of sex dolls resembling children and adolescents. [58]

There is considerable speculation about such technology coming from experts in the fields of philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. John P. Sullins of Sonoma State University believes that sex robots will facilitate "social isolation" [59] and Lydia Kaye of Central Saint Martins argue that sexual relations with robots will "desensitize humans to intimacy and empathy". [60] Furthermore, according to Chauntelle Tibbals, "nothing can replace the joy, sorrow, passion, and pain of an actual, unpredictable human interaction." [61] She further argues that only when interacting with another human can we experience our humanity and our identity, as opposed to interacting with a robot. [62] Robot ethicist Alan Winfield makes the more general argument that robots should not be gendered. [63]

The sex robots that have been created, as of 2018, primarily resemble women with exaggeratedly hyperfeminine features. In Barcelona, a sex doll brothel allows men to act out their fantasies where they can choose from a selection of flexible silicone dolls and request that they be dressed in whatever outfit the man prefers. [64] Kathleen Richardson argues that these sex robots facilitate a powerful attitude towards women's bodies as commodities, and promote a non-empathetic interaction. [65] Experts argue that improving the gender diversity of those involved in developing this sex technology could help reduce possible harm, such as the objectification of women. [66]

Many scholars, including Richardson, argue that this reinforces the idea that women are property rather than human beings with free will. [65] Scholars such as Robert Sparrow from Monash University argue that the creation of realistic female sex robots, with the ability to refuse consent, further facilitates a rape culture. He believes that sex with these robots represents the "rape of a woman" and may increase the rate of rape in society, while also facilitating a general "disrespect for women" in society. [67] Furthermore, a sex robot called "Frigid Farah", whose personality is described as "reserved and shy", has caught the attention of several scholars. The manufacturer claimed that if you touch her "in a private area, more than likely, she will not be too appreciative of your advance". [68] Many scholars view this as indulging rape fantasies and facilitating a rape culture. [69]

Legislation

The Curbing Realistic Exploitative Electronic Pedophilic Robots (CREEPER) Act, sponsored by Daniel M. Donovan, Jr., was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on 13 June 2018. The bill would amend the federal obscenity statute, 18 U.S.C.   § 1462 to criminalize importation and transportation for interstate commerce any "anatomically-correct doll, mannequin, or robot, with the features of, or with features that resemble those of, a minor, intended for use in sexual acts." [70] Bob Goodlatte stated that "these dolls create a real risk of reinforcing pedophilic behavior and they desensitize the user causing him to engage in sicker and sicker behavior". [71] Australia and the United Kingdom already have such bans. [72] Critics of the bill argue that it is unconstitutional and/or unnecessary. [73] [74] The bill is said to have died in the senate in 2018. [75] [76] Vern Buchanan is said to reintroduce an amended version of the bill in 2020. [77]

Philosophical discussion

The First International Congress on Love and Sex with Robots was held in Funchal, Madeira in November 2014. [78] The conference was coordinated by Professor Adrian David Cheok and Dr. David Levy. The main discussion revolved around the debate of where to draw the line with regard to cybernetic love and relationships and what the future of love and sex with robots has in store. Additional topics of discussion during the conference included humanoid robots, robot emotions, roboethics, and philosophical approaches. [78] In October 2015 a second conference scheduled for November 2015 in Malaysia was declared illegal by the Malaysian Inspector-General of Police. [79] [80] [81] The second conference was eventually held in the United Kingdom in December 2016, chaired by Dr. Kate Devlin at Goldsmiths, University of London. [82] [83] Devlin also founded the UK's first ever sex tech hackathon, [84] also held in 2016 at Goldsmiths.

In 2016, a discussion of these issues was held at the 12th IFIP TC9 Human Choice & Computers Conference, entitled "Technology and Intimacy: Choice or Coercion?". [85] [86] [87] The conference was coordinated by Dr. David Kreps from Salford University. The overall aim of the conference was to "scrutinize the journey from impersonal monolithic technology towards the intimate intertwining of devices and the self". A prospective outlook on how these technologies will evolve was closely examined. Some of the main themes discussed during the conference were intimacy, personalization, material culture and sexual relationships with robots. [88] In September 2018, the 13th IFIP TC9 Human Choice & Computers Conference "This Changes Everything" [89] was held in Poznań, Poland. The conference was led and directed by David Kreps, Kai Kimppa, Louise Leenen, and Charles Ess. The discussion was focused on the societal and ethical implications posed by artificial intelligence, privacy concerns, and how such technologies have significantly shifted computational strategies and altered the world people live in. [90]

Intimacy with robots, artificial intelligence, and other human-constructed items have a strong presence in the media landscape. They provoke questions about what love is, why people crave the need for affection, and challenge pre-existing beliefs of what it means to be human. [91]

Originally published in 1886, the novel Tomorrow's Eve centers around a fictionalized Thomas Edison, who creates a female robot for his lonely patron. While the robot's beauty is apparent, the robot lacks the emotional capabilities to fulfill that hole in his heart. [92]

Fritz Lang's 1927 film Metropolis contains the robot Maria as a central figure, who is portrayed as sexually alluring.

In Fritz Leiber's 1959 novel The Silver Eggheads, non-sentient female sexbots were known to exist. They would do whatever sex act was asked of them as long as money inserted into a slot at the back of the neck held out. [93]

Several episodes of the 1960's television show Star Trek: The Original Series featured female androids as companions of the protagonist, notably Andrea from the episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" and Rayna Kapec from the episode "Requiem for Methuselah". Due to television censorship of the time, sexuality is only alluded to, although Nurse Christine Chapel referred to Andrea as "a mechanical geisha." Both episodes employ the plot device of having the android struggle to comprehend and come to terms with human emotion. Further, in the episode I, Mudd several series of female robots were created to the personal specifications of Harcourt Fenton Mudd. The "Alice" series at least, according to Alice 118, "are programmed to function as human females," having been so programmed by "that unprincipled, evil-minded, lecherous kulak Harry Mudd." [94]

The 1973 Michael Crichton movie Westworld featured android prostitutes at "Miss Carrie's place." In addition, there were "basic sex model" female robots programmed not to resist a guest's seduction in Roman World and Medieval World; and male equivalents in Roman World were referred to. Further, specific robots could be programmed for certain sexual behaviors. At one point, the Queen in Medieval World is programmed for infidelity, to tie into a guest's desire for his vacation.

Ridley Scott's 1982 film Blade Runner depicts the android characters Pris, Rachel and Zhora as having been manufactured to be sexually alluring; Pris, in particular, is referred to as "a basic pleasure model".

The 1988 post-apocalyptic movie Cherry 2000 is built around the quest of the protagonist to locate a Cherry 2000 model gynoid robot into which he can install the memory disk of his "wife," a destroyed Cherry 2000 gynoid, thus recreating her.

The 2001 film A.I. Artificial Intelligence has a male sex robot, Gigolo Joe, as a main character. Joe describes that humans love what robots do for them, but cannot love them since they are not flesh and blood, and in the end, hate them. A Gigolo Jane female model also briefly appears in the film.

Two androids with sexual abilities appeared in episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In "I Was Made to Love You," Warren Mears builds a fembot girlfriend, but after acquiring a human girlfriend discovers that dumping the droid is more difficult than he anticipated. In "Intervention," Spike takes delivery of his own, personal Buffybot, also built by Mears. As implied by actions and dialogue in the episode, the Buffybot as built is a sexbot.

Futurama has two episodes involving robots and organic beings, "I Dated a Robot" and "Proposition Infinity".

The 2007 film Lars and the Real Girl explores the idea of a romantic attachment to artificial human-like items. Ultimately, the film concludes with the protagonist "murdering" his sex doll lover in a river: emphasizing the projection of one's idealized lover onto an inanimate object. [91]

The 2014 film Ex Machina questions common notions about consciousness. A sentient female robot is created with a violent outcome, rebelling against her creators. Throughout the story, Ex Machina appears to empathize with the robot as a victim of a man with a god complex. Responding to the protagonist's uncertainty about her fate if she does not live up to her creator's standards, the robot, Ava, responds "Why is it up to anyone?" about whether or not she lives. This questions the audience's underlying belief about whether or not a robot is entitled to a free life like other conscious beings.[ citation needed ]

In the 2015–2018 British series Humans, there are both male and female courtesan "synths" (the series' name for androids). The synths that have achieved human consciousness cannot be told from human beings.

In the 2016 TV series Westworld , realistic interactive robots, part of a theme park, engage in sexual and other activity with guests.

The 2020 satirical dystopian fiction novel Ride, Sally, Ride by Douglas Wilson centers on the cultural impact of charging a man with murder for destroying a sex robot which was claimed to be a legal spouse by its owner. [95] [96]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android (robot)</span> Robot resembling a human

An android is a humanoid robot or other artificial being often made from a flesh-like material. Historically, androids existed only in the domain of science fiction and were frequently seen in film and television, but advances in robot technology have allowed the design of functional and realistic humanoid robots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boys' love</span> Homoerotic fiction genre

Boys' love, also known by its abbreviation BL, is a genre of fictional media originating in Japan that depicts homoerotic relationships between male characters. It is typically created by women for a female audience, distinguishing it from Bara, which is homoerotic media created by and for gay men, though BL does also attract a male audience and can be produced by male creators. BL spans a wide range of media, including manga, anime, drama CDs, novels, video games, television series, films, and fan works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chatbot</span> Program that simulates conversation

A chatbot is a software application or web interface designed to have textual or spoken conversations. Modern chatbots are typically online and use generative artificial intelligence systems that are capable of maintaining a conversation with a user in natural language and simulating the way a human would behave as a conversational partner. Such chatbots often use deep learning and natural language processing, but simpler chatbots have existed for decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robot fetishism</span> Fetishistic attraction to humanoid robots

Robot fetishism is a fetishistic attraction to humanoid robots; also to people acting like robots or people dressed in robot costumes. A less common fantasy involves transformation into a robot. In these ways, it is similar to agalmatophilia, which involves attraction to or transformation into statues or mannequins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex doll</span> Anthropomorphic sexual device

A sex doll is an anthropomorphic sex toy in the size and shape of a sexual partner. The sex doll may consist of an entire body, or just a head, pelvis, or other body part intended for sexual stimulation. Sex dolls are made from various materials like silicone, TPE, or rubber to replicate a lifelike feel. These materials are chosen for their durability and realistic texture, enhancing the overall experience for users. The parts sometimes vibrate and may be moveable and interchangeable. Sex dolls exist in many forms, but are usually distinguished from sex robots, which are anthropomorphic creations designed to be able to engage in more complex interactions.

Prison sexuality consists of sexual relationships between prisoners or between a prisoner and a prison employee or other persons to whom prisoners have access. Since prisons are usually separated by sex, most sexual activity is with a same-sex partner. Exceptions to this include sex with spouses/partners during conjugal visits and sex with a prison employee of the opposite sex.

Teledildonics is the name coined for virtual sex encounters using networked electronic sex toys to mimic and extend human sexual interaction. The term became known after technology critic and writer Howard Rheingold used it in his 1991 book Virtual Reality. In the publication, Rheingold made futuristic conclusions and summaries surrounding technology and used the term 'teledildonics' to refer to remote sexual activity using technology. Nowadays, the term is commonly used to describe remote sex, where tactile sensations are communicated over a remote connection between the participants. The term can also refer to the integration of telepresence with sexual activity that these interfaces make possible and can be used in conjunction or interchangeably with sex-technology. The term has also been used less accurately to refer to robotic sex, i.e., computer-controlled sex toys that aim to substitute for or improve upon sex with a human partner. Nowadays, it is commonly used to refer to Bluetooth-enabled sex toys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gynoid</span> Robot resembling a woman

A gynoid, or fembot, is a feminine humanoid robot. Gynoids appear widely in science fiction films and arts. As more realistic humanoid robot design becomes technologically possible, they are also emerging in real-life robot design. Just like any other robot, the main parts of a gynoid include sensors, actuators and a control system. Sensors are responsible for detecting the changes in the environment while the actuators, also called effectors, are motors and other components responsible for the movement and control of the robot. The control system instructs the robot on what to do so as to achieve the desired results.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uncanny valley</span> Hypothesis that human replicas elicit revulsion

The uncanny valley effect is a hypothesized psychological and aesthetic relation between an object's degree of resemblance to a human being and the emotional response to the object. The uncanny valley hypothesis predicts that an entity appearing almost human will risk eliciting eerie feelings in viewers. Examples of the phenomenon exist among robotics, 3D computer animations and lifelike dolls. The increasing prevalence of digital technologies has propagated discussions and citations of the "valley"; such conversation has enhanced the construct's verisimilitude.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violence against women</span> Violent acts against women and girls

Violence against women (VAW), also known as gender-based violence and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), is violent acts primarily committed by men or boys against women or girls. Such violence is often considered a form of hate crime, committed against persons specifically because they are of the female gender, and can take many forms.

Robot ethics, sometimes known as "roboethics", concerns ethical problems that occur with robots, such as whether robots pose a threat to humans in the long or short run, whether some uses of robots are problematic, and how robots should be designed such that they act 'ethically'. Alternatively, roboethics refers specifically to the ethics of human behavior towards robots, as robots become increasingly advanced. Robot ethics is a sub-field of ethics of technology, specifically information technology, and it has close links to legal as well as socio-economic concerns. Researchers from diverse areas are beginning to tackle ethical questions about creating robotic technology and implementing it in societies, in a way that will still ensure the safety of the human race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stoya</span> American pornographic actress and writer

Stoya is an American semi-retired pornographic actress, actress, model, and nonfiction writer. She began her porn career in 2007 in the alt porn scene, and since 2009 has also worked in non-pornographic media, including the 2016 lesbian fantasy series Dagger Kiss. Since 2019, she has co-written the sex column "How To Do It" for Slate under the byline Jessica Stoya.

Roxxxy, termed a "sex robot", is a full-size interactive sex doll. The robot is built by the New Jersey–based company TrueCompanion. Its engineer is Douglas Hines, founder and president of the company, who worked as an artificial intelligence engineer at the Bell Labs before he founded TrueCompanion. Development of Roxxxy is claimed to have cost between $500,000 and $1 million.

Google Brain was a deep learning artificial intelligence research team that served as the sole AI branch of Google before being incorporated under the newer umbrella of Google AI, a research division at Google dedicated to artificial intelligence. Formed in 2011, it combined open-ended machine learning research with information systems and large-scale computing resources. It created tools such as TensorFlow, which allow neural networks to be used by the public, and multiple internal AI research projects, and aimed to create research opportunities in machine learning and natural language processing. It was merged into former Google sister company DeepMind to form Google DeepMind in April 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AI takeover in popular culture</span>

AI takeover—the idea that some kind of artificial intelligence may supplant humankind as the dominant intelligent species on the planet—is a common theme in science fiction. Famous cultural touchstones include Terminator and The Matrix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Devlin</span> Northern Irish computer scientist, AI specialist

Kate Devlin, born Adela Katharine Devlin is a Northern Irish computer scientist specialising in Artificial intelligence and Human–computer interaction (HCI). She is best known for her work on human sexuality and robotics and was co-chair of the annual Love and Sex With Robots convention in 2016 held in London and was founder of the UK's first ever sex tech hackathon held in 2016 at Goldsmiths, University of London. She is Senior Lecturer in Social and Cultural Artificial Intelligence in the Department of Digital Humanities, King's College London and is the author of Turned On: Science, Sex and Robots in addition to several academic papers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophia (robot)</span> Social humanoid robot

Sophia is a female social humanoid robot developed in 2016 by the Hong Kong–based company Hanson Robotics. Sophia was activated on February 14, 2016, and made her first public appearance in mid-March 2016 at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, United States. Sophia was marketed as a "social robot" who can mimic social behavior and induce feelings of love in humans.

The Foundation for Responsible Robotics (FRR) is a not for profit non-government organization that advocates for the ethical design and production of robots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Carpenter</span> American Researcher, Educator, Author, Speaker, Human-Robot Interaction Specialist

Julie Carpenter, born Julie Gwyn Wajdyk, is an American researcher whose work focuses on human behavior with emerging technologies, especially within vulnerable and marginalized populations. She is best known for her work in human attachment to robots and other forms of artificial intelligence.

Cybersex trafficking, live streaming sexual abuse, webcam sex tourism/abuse or ICTs -facilitated sexual exploitation is a cybercrime involving sex trafficking and the live streaming of coerced sexual acts and/or rape on webcam.

References

  1. ↑ Gurley, George (16 April 2015). "Is this the dawn of the sexbots? (NSFW)". Vanity Fair . Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  2. ↑ Danaher, John (20 October 2017). "Should We Be Thinking about Robot Sex?". Robot Sex. The MIT Press. doi:10.7551/mitpress/9780262036689.003.0001. ISBN   9780262036689 . Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  3. 1 2 Maras, Marie-Helen; Shapiro, Lauren R. (2017). "Child sex dolls and robots: More than just an uncanny valley". Journal of Internet Law. 21 (6): 3–21. ProQuest   1973344803.
  4. ↑ Barker, Ned; Devlin, Kate (14 February 2020). "Sex, Robots and Touch". In-Touch: Digital Touch Communication. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  5. ↑ Robot sex: social and ethical implications. Danaher, John; McArthur, Neil, 1972–. Cambridge, MA. ISBN   978-0-262-34198-1. OCLC   1005978964.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. ↑ Balistreri, Maurizio, 1970- (2018). Sex robot: l'amore al tempo delle macchine. Roma. ISBN   978-88-6044-552-0. OCLC   1081098188.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 3 Staff writer (15 September 2015). "Intelligent machines: Call for a ban on robots designed as sex toys". BBC News . Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  8. ↑ Danaher, John; Earp, Brian; Sandberg, Anders (20 October 2017). "Chapter 4: Should We Campaign Against Sex Robots?". In Danaher, John; McArthur, Neil (eds.). Robot Sex: Social and Ethical Implications. The MIT Press. pp. 47–72. doi:10.7551/mitpress/9780262036689.003.0004. ISBN   978-0-262-03668-9 . Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  9. ↑ "Our Story". Campaign Against Sex Robots. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  10. ↑ Williams, Alex (19 January 2019). "Do You Take This Robot …". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  11. ↑ Manheim, Noa (3 May 2018). "A Brief History of Sex Dolls, From Leather Dummies to Sexbots". Haaretz. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  12. ↑ "'Proud Robosexual' Plans To Marry Robot When It's Legal". www.inquisitr.com. 25 December 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  13. ↑ Mlot, Stephanie (7 July 2017). "Everything you always wanted to know about sex robots". Geek.com . Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  14. ↑ Matyszczyk, Chris (5 July 2016). "Ashley Madison used fembots? Why this is the future". Inc. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  15. ↑ "There's a Very Real Possibility Sex Robots May Try to Kill You in the Future". Complex. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  16. ↑ Shah, Saqib (17 July 2018). "Sex robot makers blasted over sick 'family friendly' dolls". The Daily Telegraph. Australia. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  17. ↑ Ellen, Barbara (3 December 2017). "Female sex robots, feel free to replace us if you want to – Barbara Ellen". The Observer. Retrieved 13 March 2019– via www.theguardian.com.
  18. ↑ "Kate Iselin asks: Will sex robots save the world?". www.news.com.au. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  19. ↑ Ferguson, Anthony (2010). The Sex Doll: A History. McFarland. ISBN   978-0-7864-4794-7.
  20. ↑ Beck, Julie (6 August 2014). "A (Straight, Male) History of Sex Dolls". The Atlantic.
  21. ↑ Ferguson, Anthony. The Sex Doll: A History. McFarland, 2010. p 31. ISBN   978-0-7864-4794-7)
  22. ↑ Leclercq, Cy (25 November 2017). "AI Sex Dolls Are Just around the Corner". The Next Web.
  23. ↑ "Matt McMullen Interview for The Sex Robots Are Coming". Channel Four Television Corporation (Press release). 4 Press. 14 November 2017.
  24. ↑ "Your Perfect Companion in the Palm of Your Hands". Realbotix. Archived from the original on 19 October 2018.
  25. 1 2 Döring, Nicola; Pöschl, Sandra (2018). "Sex toys, sex dolls, sex robots: Our under-researched bed-fellows". Sexologies . 27 (3): e51–e55. doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2018.05.009. S2CID   150027875.
  26. 1 2 3 Döring, Nicola; Mohseni, Rohangis; Walter, Roberto (2020). "Design, Use, and Effects of Sex Dolls and Sex Robots: Scoping Review". Journal of Medical Internet Research . 22 (7): e18551. doi: 10.2196/18551 . PMC   7426804 . PMID   32729841.
  27. ↑ Danaher, John; McArthur, Neil (2017). Robot Sex: Social and Ethical Implications. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. ISBN   978-0-262-03668-9. OCLC   978286431.
  28. ↑ Levy, David (2007). Love and Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships. New York, USA: Harper. ISBN   978-0061359750.
  29. 1 2 Richardson, Kathleen (September 2015). "The asymmetrical 'relationship': parallels between prostitution and the development of sex robots". ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society. 45 (3). Association for Computing Machinery: 290–293. doi:10.1145/2874239.2874281. S2CID   17328664. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  30. ↑ Fosch-Villaronga, Eduard; Poulsen, Adam (2020). "Sex care robots: Exploring the potential use of sexual robot technologies for disabled and elder care". Paladyn, Journal of Behavioral Robotics. 11 (1): 1–18. doi: 10.1515/pjbr-2020-0001 . hdl: 1887/133553 . S2CID   211021899.
  31. 1 2 Devlin, Kate (2018). Turned On: Science, Sex and Robots. London: Bloomsbury Sigma. ISBN   978-1-4729-5089-5. OCLC   1055274087.
  32. ↑ "International Love and Sex With Robots Conference website".
  33. ↑ James, Jacob (23 October 2014). "I believe that it will become perfectly normal for people to have sex with robots". Newsweek . US edition. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  34. ↑ Abdollahi, Hojjat; Mollahosseini, Ali; Lane, Josh T.; Mahoor, Mohammad H. (November 2017). "A pilot study on using an intelligent life-like robot as a companion for elderly individuals with dementia and depression". 2017 IEEE-RAS 17th International Conference on Humanoid Robotics (Humanoids). pp. 541–546. arXiv: 1712.02881 . Bibcode:2017arXiv171202881A. doi:10.1109/humanoids.2017.8246925. ISBN   978-1-5386-4678-6. S2CID   1962455.
  35. ↑ Jecker, Nancy S. (1 January 2021). "Nothing to be ashamed of: sex robots for older adults with disabilities". Journal of Medical Ethics. 47 (1): 26–32. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2020-106645 . ISSN   0306-6800. PMID   33199655. S2CID   226968093.
  36. ↑ Korn, Oliver; Bieber, Gerald; Fron, Christian; Michels, Dominik L. (15 December 2017). "Social Robots. A Workshop on the Past, the Present and the Future of Digital Companions". Affective & Cognitive Institute.
  37. ↑ Korn, Oliver, et al. Social Robots. A Workshop on the Past, the Present and the Future of Digital Companions. Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, 2017, affective-lab.org/social-robots-a-workshop/
  38. ↑ Barth, Thomas (May 2012). "Relationships and sexuality of imprisoned men in the German penal system—a survey of inmates in a Berlin prison". International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. 35 (3): 153–158. doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2012.02.001. ISSN   0160-2527. PMID   22425293.
  39. ↑ Bendel, Oliver (1 January 2021). "Love dolls and sex robots in unproven and unexplored fields of application". Paladyn, Journal of Behavioral Robotics. 12 (1): 1–12. doi: 10.1515/pjbr-2021-0004 . ISSN   2081-4836. S2CID   225066937.
  40. ↑ Adams, James (17 June 2019). "The sexbot apocalypse". Spectator USA. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  41. ↑ Döring, N.; Pöschl, S. (1 July 2018). "Sex toys, sex dolls, sex robots: Our under-researched bed-fellows". Sexologies. Sexualité et nouvelles technologies Sexuality and new technologies. 27 (3): e51–e55. doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2018.05.009. ISSN   1158-1360. S2CID   150027875.
  42. ↑ Hornyak, Tim (11 January 2010). "Sex robot Roxxxy looking for action". CNET . Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  43. ↑ Staff writer (11 June 2015). "Sex dolls that talk back". The New York Times . Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  44. ↑ Moye, David (17 March 2017). "Engineer creates sex robot that needs to be romanced first". HuffPost . Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  45. ↑ Dormehl, Luke (20 March 2017). "Meet Samantha: a smart sex robot that you need to seduce before you get busy". Digital Trends . Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  46. ↑ Beech, Stephen (24 September 2017). "Sex robot called Samantha goes on sale in UK and she's yours for £3,500". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  47. ↑ Trout, Christopher. "There's a New Sex Robot in Town: Say Hello to Solana." Engadget, Oath Tech Network, 10 January 2018.
  48. ↑ "Sexbot Market Guide: The Best AI Sex Dolls and Sex Robots". Future of Sex. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  49. ↑ "Sexbot Market Guide: The Best AI Sex Dolls and Sex Robots". Future of Sex. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  50. ↑ "Sex robot can 'put itself into sexual positions' using full AI body movement". Sex robot can 'put itself into sexual positions' using full AI body movement. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  51. ↑ Drug, Fight the New. "Meet Henry, the World's First Generation of Male Sex Robot". Fight the New Drug. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  52. ↑ Ellyatt, Holly (5 September 2015). "Campaign launched against 'harmful' sex robots". CNBC . Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  53. ↑ Temperton, James (15 September 2015). "Campaign Against Sex Robots calls for ban on human-robot sex". Wired UK . Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  54. ↑ Moyer, Justin Wm. (15 September 2015). "Having sex with robots is really, really bad, Campaign Against Sex Robots says". Washington Post . Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  55. ↑ McCurry, Justin (28 September 2015). "No sex, please, they're robots, says Japanese android firm". The Guardian . Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  56. ↑ O'Connor, Brendan (26 September 2015). "Japanese robot owners reminded not to fuck their robots". Gawker . Gawker Media. Archived from the original on 7 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  57. ↑ Sharkey, Noel; van Wynsberghe, Aimee; Robbins, Scott; Hancock, Eleanor (2017). Our sexual future with robots. The Hague, Netherlands: Foundation for Responsible Robotics. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2017. Pdf. Archived 8 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine
  58. ↑ Wakefield, Jane (5 July 2017). "Call for a ban on child sex robots". BBC News . Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  59. ↑ Sullins, John P. (January 2012). "Robots, Love, and Sex: The Ethics of Building a Love Machine". IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing. 3 (4): 398–409. doi:10.1109/T-AFFC.2012.31. S2CID   253828.
  60. ↑ Kaye, Lydia (10 February 2016). "Challenging Sex Robots and the Brutal Dehumanisation of Women". Campaign Against Sex Robots. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016.
  61. ↑ Tibbals, Chauntelle. "Sex Robots Misquoting & Reason #74,193 I Only Do Written Interviews | Dr. Chauntelle Tibbals" . Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  62. ↑ Spitznagel, Eric. "The Sex Robots Are Coming." Men's Health, June 2016, p. 144.
  63. ↑ Winfield, Alan (20 April 2016). "Should robots be gendered?". Robohub. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  64. ↑ Kale, Sirin (28 February 2017). "Spain Opens First Sex Doll Brothel for Men Who Like Shagging Silicone". Vice. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  65. 1 2 Richardson, Kathleen (June 2016). "Sex Robot Matters: Slavery, the Prostituted, and the Rights of Machines". IEEE Technology and Society Magazine. 35 (2): 46–53. doi:10.1109/MTS.2016.2554421. hdl: 2086/12126 . S2CID   32282830.
  66. ↑ "Let's talk about sex robots". Nature. 547 (7662): 138. July 2017. Bibcode:2017Natur.547..138.. doi: 10.1038/547138a . PMID   28703204. S2CID   4465574.
  67. ↑ Sparrow, Robert (September 2017). "Robots, Rape, and Representation". International Journal of Social Robotics. 9 (4): 465–477. doi:10.1007/s12369-017-0413-z. S2CID   28713176.
  68. ↑ "New sex robots have 'frigid' setting which allows men to simulate rape". The Independent. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  69. ↑ Sian Norris (21 July 2017). "A rape-able sex robot makes the world more dangerous for women, not less" . Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  70. ↑ "H.R. 4655: CREEPER Act of 2017". govtrack.
  71. ↑ Gstalter, Morgan (14 June 2018). "House approves ban on sex dolls that resemble children". The Hill . Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  72. ↑ "Donovan Introduces "CREEPER Act" to Ban Child Sex Dolls". 14 December 2017. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  73. ↑ Regulation, Eric Goldman · in Content (28 June 2018). "The "CREEPER Act" Would Be Yet Another Unconstitutional Law from Congress (Guest Blog Post)". Technology & Marketing Law Blog. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  74. ↑ admin (29 January 2018). "CREEPER Act would turn law-abiding Americans into sex offenders". narsol.org. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  75. ↑ Gstalter, Morgan (14 June 2018). "House approves ban on sex dolls that resemble children". TheHill. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  76. ↑ "Law that would ban child sex dolls sitting in senate committee for 16 months". KRON4. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  77. ↑ "CREEPER Act to be re-introduced after Florida girl's likeness used for child sex doll". WMAZ. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  78. 1 2 Levy, David; Cheok, Adrian David (November 2014). Session details: The First International Congress on Love and Sex with Robots. Proceedings of the 2014 Workshops on Advances in Computer Entertainment Conference. doi:10.1145/3260885. ISBN   978-1-4503-3314-6.
  79. ↑ Tan, Tarrence (13 October 2015). "IGP declares 'Sex with Robots' conference illegal". Free Malaysia Today . Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  80. ↑ Reese, Hope (21 October 2015). "Academic conference on 'Love and Sex with Robots' abruptly cancelled after being declared illegal". TechRepublic . Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  81. ↑ Hale-Stern, Kaila (22 October 2015). "The annual Love and Sex With Robots Conference has been canceled". Gizmodo . Gawker Media. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  82. ↑ Wosk, Julie (20 December 2017). "Love and Sex With Robots Conference Sparks Controversy". HuffPost.
  83. ↑ "Third International Congress on Love and Sex with Robots: London, 19–20 Dec 2017". loveandsexwithrobots.org. Love and Sex with Robots Committee. Archived from the original on 7 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  84. ↑ "Sex Tech Hack II". Hacksmiths. Goldsmiths Tech Society. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  85. ↑ Kreps, David. "HCC12 Conference Website". ifiptc9.org. IFIP TC9. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  86. ↑ Dean, Jon (5 September 2016). "First ever conference in to sex robots to ask the big questions". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  87. ↑ Cheshire, Tom (7 September 2016). "Can 'Sex Robots' replace human relationships?". Sky News . Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  88. ↑ "Technology and Intimacy: Choice or Coercion?" HCC12, Ifip, 2016, hcc12.net/cfp/index.html now at ifiptc9.org/hcc12/cfp/.
  89. ↑ "HCC13 Conference website". David Kreps.
  90. ↑ "Call for Papers". 13th IFIP TC9 Human Choice and Computers Conference [Archive Site]. 2018.
  91. 1 2 Wiseman, Eva (13 December 2015). "Sex, love and robots: is this the end of intimacy?". The Observer.
  92. ↑ de Fren, Allison (2009). "The Anatomical Gaze in Tomorrow's Eve". Science Fiction Studies. 36 (2): 235–265. JSTOR   40649958.
  93. ↑ Leiber, Fritz. The Silver Eggheads (New York: Del Ray), 1979. ISBN No. 978-0345279668.
  94. ↑ "Star Trek Transcripts - I, Mudd (Original Airdate: 3 Nov, 1967)". chakoteya.net.
  95. ↑ "Ride Sally, Ride". 15 September 2020.
  96. ↑ "Book Review: Ride, Sally, Ride by Douglas Wilson". 12 September 2020.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.