How is sex going to change in the future? It’s doubtful any other sex positions can be dreamed up since the Kama Sutra was written in 600 BCE and not much has changed. The only real difference is the advent of soap, which I speculate increased the amount of oral pleasure between partners. Outside of that, we’ve relied on the growing sex toy industry to invent new ways of improving self-manipulation.
What may have started as varnished dildos and complex vibrators has transformed into a $15-billion industry. So where is that industry headed? The Hitachi Magic Wand already trumps most vibrators and it’s been around for 30 years. If you’re looking for something male oriented, the Fleshlight was invented over 20 years ago. Even the RealDoll has been around for nearly 18 years.
But there’s something missing; what about robots? Whether you’re a fan of Westworld, Stepford Wives, Ex Machina, A.I. or Her, I’m sure you’re aware of the potential. Robots are the next big step in the sex toy industry and the creators of RealDoll know it. Abyss Creations has formed a new division called Realbotix, dedicated to bringing life to the inanimate.
If you’ve never heard of RealDoll before, here’s some things you need to know. They create hand crafted silicon dolls with realistic orifices. They have stainless steel parts and aluminum fingertip guards. There are 28 pre-configured, named, female dolls and three male dolls. They can support up to 400 pounds and are easy to wash with warm water and soap. They also cost a minimum of $7000.
Realbotix has developed an artificial intelligence program available as an app on your phone. Get yourself a Real- Doll with the new robotic head, pair it with Bluetooth and suddenly your doll has a personality too. She can maintain a conversation and does her best to learn from each interaction. But the technology isn’t going to stop there. The company is also considering adding cameras to the eyes in order to track faces and detect emotion.
These dolls are more than just an imitation of a woman; they are a form of companion. The new dolls aren’t available yet, but you can start pre-ordering and you can buy the artificial intelligence app named Harmony. The future is coming.
Unfortunately, the market is generally directed towards men. Some journalists have speculated about the potential future of a sex robot society, and they’re more than bleak, mostly painting pictures of an underpopulated planet. I’m much more optimistic. If some people prefer the company of an imitation human, who am I to stop them? I’m sure there are instances where this may be problematic, but ultimately it’s their personal preference.
So who knows? While these dolls aren’t able to support their own weight (yet), maybe they’ll provide the necessary warmth and compassion missing in someone’s life. Or at the very least, save money on prostitutes.
– Arielle Trischuk
