Will sexbots be a curse, a blessing or both? [1]

This picture isn't a woman, it's a Realdoll (NSFW) - a life-sized mannequin designed to feel and weigh like a real man or woman (over 4000 sold in case you're wondering) with all of the right parts in place.Robots and eventually synthetic life can and will be designed to provide humans with sexual interaction or social bonding - or both. Sex is a natural act for any living creature, the act provides both pleasure and procreation. Sex is also connected with psychological and physical well being. How will it change when we can mail order a new partner that never argues - unless we want it to - and is always ready to go?Where you've seen it - 2007's Lars and the Real Girl, presented the social issues of an artificial girlfriend and how society might view such a relationship. Here is a clip of Lars awkwardly introducing his new girlfriend:[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shCqzZzghWg width:480 height:270]In the film, they used a Realdoll as the pretend girlfriend creating an uncomfortable scenario for Lars' friends. Way before sexbots are available, the film was exploring the social implications of open adoption of sex dolls as a social partner.My likely scenario - The uncanny valley will continue to plague android sexbots for some years. This has been a common complaint about Roxxxy (safe for work, but creepy as hell), the "world's first sex robot" by New Jersey based TrueCompanion LLC. Introduced in 2010, you can see the product lacks realistic detail - $7000 at introduction, it costs less than $1000 today (They also offer the 'male' Rocky for $1500).Inanimate dolls are one thing. Meanwhile, humanoid androids keep advancing towards near-perfect mimics of human realism and even human expression. The Japanese gave us the Actroid, shown in this video from 2011.[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF39Ygp53mQ width:480 height:270]In 2012, the Russians gave us Alissa, a realistic android head designed for telepresence.[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e_xUx3CCkI width:480 height:270]In that same year, we also get the Geminoid DK, an android designed to appear as a copy of Prof Henrik Sharfe of Aalborg University.[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPl28gCxcno width:480 height:270]In 2013, the Japanese further advanced the Actroid and we begin to see full body movement.[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEzH40l-Dg8- width:480 height:270]Who knows what 2014 will bring except more realism and better voice sync. Will they air Android's Got Talent by 2018?Joking aside, sexbots are here and several technologies are trending towards a super-realistic experience. Late in 2013, the team behind the Oculus Rift game system introduced the VR Tenga in Tokyo (NSFW). The system combines a virtual reality headset that provides visual input while the person using it interacts with a robot designed to move a handjob machine holding a device called a Flip Hole. As you can see in this video (NSFW), the visual scene provided to the user depicts a 3D view of the "sex partner".These technologies are coming together (no pun intended) and quickly if the market is there. And this is before other technologies are incorporated to provide even more realism (paid upgrade, anyone?). Is there a market?A Huffington Post poll reported 63% of voters are okay with robot handjobsA poll from escapistmagazine reported 68% of voters would be fine with sex with an android, another 8% would try it once, and 4% would do it if the android was modeled on a "hot celebrity".A Huffington Post/YouGov poll reported these numbers on whether sex with a robot is cheating if you are in an exclusive relationship.Yes from 42% of YouGov votors and 29% of Huffpost readersNo from 31% YouGov and 57% Huffpost readers26% were uncertainThe numbers, though we don't know the populations who were surveyed, would suggest a majority of people are okay with robot sex and only a minority see sex with a robot as inappropriate if the human half is in a serious relationship.Will realistic robot sex result in new laws? I'm guessing public nudity laws will need to include robots - genitalia being genitalia. Sex with a robot in public is still sex in public - for at least one partner.Could laws limit sex with robots? It's hard to see many nations bothering to legislate sex with a robot in your own home - though we can always be surprised. Super realistic robot prostitutes are coming (next 20 years?) and it will be cheaper to rent them by the hour than cough up thousands of dollars for your own. It makes sense a rental option would be attractive as newer, more realistic sexbots come on the market at premium prices. Will governments regulate them for cleanliness? Will there be an age limit to have sex with a machine? I'm guessing a decade of indecision as laws are passed and the future of sexbots play out in the courtrooms.As for relationships and how those in monogamous relationships will view their partners diddling a mannequin - especially as those mannequins become ever more realistic and interactive - is going to be a personal choice for each member who feels cheated. Searches for sex machines show a gallery of different designs and uses, though none of them are humanoid as yet. It will be interesting to see how often the police get calls over body parts of Realdolls being found in the yard of someone's boyfriend or a dumpster behind an apartment complex.There are four issues I plan to follow, questions I believe will cause a negative mainstream response to sexbots. Questions the industry will need to get ahead of or face a severe backlash.Sexbots resembling children - You would think this a no-brainer, but as recently as 2011 a French company began to retail and market lingerie for girls as young as four. On a positive note, last year French senators introduced sanctions against any beauty contest in which children under 16 are judged on their physical appearance. Part of a new "equity bill", the law punishes anyone failing to comply with both a fine and possible time in jail. The industry itself should avoid any attempt to profit from child-like sexdolls or sexbots, but I have a feeling governmental oversight will be required if only to limit how "young" a model can appear.Sexbots that bruise - Sadly, sex and violence are connected for some perverts. Could a manufacturer design a doll or robot that would show the signs of violence? I'm sure they could if the market is there. Violence against women is a worldwide cultural and social issue, to the point the UN sponsors a movement to help identify and educate on this issue. Once again, the industry will need to show control over what they market.Customized sexbots from a picture - Porn stars are already selling molds of their genitalia. Modeling their bodies, voices and perhaps even their personalities will involve licensing, time in a mold, and voice recordings. A lucrative option for the sexbot industry would be custom bodies from photos. While some partners might like to gift their partner with a copy of themselves for when they're away, or even swap dolls for long distance relationships, that wouldn't be the only use of this service. Pictures of an old girlfriend? Shots of a hottie from the coffee shop? A celebrity you have a crush on? Send us enough photos and we can create her (or his - Clooney dolls anyone?) likeness. The invasion of privacy would be extreme and the industry will need to step carefully.Sexbots that perform psychological humiliation - As sexbots develop "personalities", I wonder what options might be included that would have a negative consequence on the human partner. Which of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics would cover this? 'No harm' or 'obey'? Another feature they should avoid, if only because of the long-term impacts.How about you? Do you see a need to legislate sex with robots? Are sexbot brothels more acceptable? Is it okay for someone to be angry if they found out a significant other was spending time with a mechanical Kate Upton or Channing Tatum?Update: While searching for another article, I ran across sexbots.us (NSFW), a site offering sexbot rental for $300 per hour at a minimum of 3 hours. Not many pages, but they do cover it all including a movie you can order of two robots having sex. ----------This topic is from an article by the Reilly center, who offered 10 issues  "for scientists, policy makers, journalists, and lay people to consider' as technological advances change our lives. It's a great opportunity for everyone to do just that, consider where we, as individuals - voting and purchasing individuals, stand on these issues. Here are my first thoughts on each with a plan for deeper consideration in future articles.I am not including the full content of their article. You should read it for their viewpoints and additional resources.