Goodbye loneliness, hello sex doll! How do sex dolls change human sexuality?

From Star Wars to Terminator to Transformers, from Small Wonder to Westworld, we’ve all been exposed to the sci-fi world of how robots interact with humans. But as technology advances, robots appear faster than we expected.

There is reason to believe that by the end of the 2020s robots will be as ubiquitous as cell phones are today. They are already in space, have widespread military applications and help manage farms and livestock remotely, surgical robots in the medical field, escort robots in the retirement industry, and the list goes on and on. But one particular type of robot deserves special mention because it addresses another hidden, unmet need of the general population — emotion.

Social and Lonely

While technology has narrowed the communication gap, loneliness is still amplifying and is expected to become a global trend. The link between physical and mental health is well established.for example,with people suffering from depression, having a 1.6 times greater risk of developing other physical disorders. Loneliness is a growing problem around the world, with 40 per cent of people describing themselves as lonely, up from 20 per cent in the 1980s, and a third of older people and half of those aged over 85 living alone. Loneliness and suicide are thought to be closely linked, with loneliness being the most common factor affecting people who attempt suicide.

Positioning: Partner

People’s assumption of the robot in the future is mostly to help do housework, free hands. In the process, an even bolder idea emerged: mates. It’s not just about housework, it’s about bonding emotionally with people, and even sex in bed.

Pleasure releases neurotransmitters called endorphins, which help activate the brain’s pleasure centers and promote relaxation throughout the body. On an emotional level, partner behavior also implies feelings of closeness and deep connection, which may help reduce stress and thus help people feel “less alone.”

The sex tech industry is estimated to be worth more than $30 billion and growing. Technological and manufacturing advances have met the demand for life-size humanoid dolls, and today’s advances in artificial intelligence, speech recognition, facial recognition, motion sensing and electronics have made creating a real-life sex doll companion a reality.

Companion robots are in high demand

Companion robots are in high demand, especially among existing sex doll owners. Which begs the question — why is demand so high?

To find out, we dug deep and came up with some shallow insights:

One, people who have social difficulties or are excluded for other reasons, they need recognition; Second, the bereaved and the elderly, who keep their loved ones’ memories alive by making replicas of their deceased partners, or use robots to accompany them, which is a real need for such robots; Also, long-distance couples may use the robots to maintain intimacy, but this is more likely to happen in the future; Finally, single people turn to these artificial inanimate objects to avoid the hassles of a human partner.

Companionship, more than sex?

The scandalous discussion around sex doll partners may obscure the real underlying need, the desire for companionship. For most people, it fills an emotional void in the form of social isolation, bereavement or dysfunctional relationships. In Japan, where more and more people are buying sex dolls, an article on the topic quoted a 43-year-old Japanese man as saying, “For me now, it’s more about connecting on an emotional level.”

The need for an intimate partner is significant and growing, wanting someone to “wait” at home, ready to “listen” to all problems, no complaints, unconditional love, to take the lead. While that wasn’t an option in the past, technological advances have made loving, talking, inanimate robots a possibility.

Weigh the pros and cons

Companion robots are certainly an interesting topic, but what are their real benefits, and do they outweigh the risks? Few people think companion robots can help prevent social crime, which is a major disagreement. To many, that seems unlikely. On the other hand, some people believe that the relationship between sex and robots is more likely to isolate people from social relationships and prevent them from forming normal human relationships. While long-term use of companion robots may reduce users’ intimacy and empathy, emotional development can only be achieved through human interaction.

Instead, companion robots may have an advantage in meeting the needs of singles and couples in a safer way, taking advantage of anonymity, as well as avoiding the risk of accidents and spreading disease. In the long term, the role and use of these robots will change dramatically with the arrival of millennials, and it remains to be seen whether companionship and intimacy will still matter. The impact of this technology could have a knock-on effect on related industries, and it remains to be seen whether the sex doll industry will continue to thrive if companion robots take their rightful place in the ecosystem.

conclusion

Can sex dolls alleviate loneliness? The trend toward love dolls in Japan might suggest yes. But for wider adoption, At least so far, several ethical, cultural and moral issues need to be addressed. For sex dolls to become the next level of companion robots, cultural changes will be necessary, not to mention adjustments to these robots’ ability to provide emotional, not just physical, companionship.