Robots, men and sex tourism

Extending the reach of social touch through haptic technology

“…A final, intriguing future perspective on the use of the type of social robot described above, is social robots as sex workers [541]. In light of the current spread of sexually transmitted diseases, as well as cases of abuse, and human trafficking, having technology, such as social robots, replace sex workers might be one potential solution to these problems [541].…”

“…In light of the current spread of sexually transmitted diseases, as well as cases of abuse, and human trafficking, having technology, such as social robots, replace sex workers might be one potential solution to these problems [541]. But, like Rick Deckard, we might wonder about the ethical implications of treating such future, possibly sentient, artificial humans in this way.…”

I, Sex Robot: the health implications of the sex robot industry

“…One hypothetical future red-light district has been described where the spread of sexually transmitted infections is prevented by providing robotic prostitutes made of bacteria-resistant fibre, flushed for human fluids after use 4. This well-intentioned scenario is optimistic, and sexbots can already be bought, or leased for parties.…”

Familiar and Strange: Gender, Sex, and Love in the Uncanny Valley

“…Some recent literature examines the possibility that in a not-too-distant future these tendencies for gendering, anthropomorphization, and socialization may come together in the form of robots designed specifically for sexually intimate relationships with humans [76]. David Levy [77], whose work inspired the theme of the current issue, is a formative voice on the topic, urging consideration of the many positive impacts that might result from taking robots as intimate companions.…”