If technological and scientific development is destined to revolutionize our society, human sexuality certainly cannot escape: sex dolls, sexy robots, robots for sex, machines designed to replace humans, even in bed. Is this just a sexy innovation or is this the new frontier of sex emerging? There is no doubt that technological change affecting all areas of life will not leave human sexualities unaffected. Significant changes in sexual behaviour because of digital media and technologies are already well established

 Embodied technologies such as sex dolls and sex robots should not be overlooked in this context, especially as the popularization of the sexual uses of human-like material artifacts has long since begun.

She (the majority are women) is warm to the touch; she moans when she’s touched in a sensitive area; and she can even simulate an orgasm. She talks, and she will adapt her responses to her user, so if you don’t like what she has to say, she can be calibrated to fit your needs and desires.

She’s not really a sex doll anymore. She’s more like a sex robot, and she may have wide-ranging effects on human relationships and the nature of sex work.

sex dolls

There is a wide variety of sex dolls

Sex dolls come in different genders (female, male, or trans), races, ages (adult, adolescent, or child), body types, skin, hair, and eye colors.

Today’s sex dolls are made from silicone or medical grade thermoplastic elastomer, a substance similar to rubber. Features that cost extra include body heat, touch sensors, breathing simulation and more. While he noted that consumers have their choice of bold or shy personalities and varying body types, along with a range of skin, eye and hair colour, most dolls on offer have light skin, lean figures and large breasts, resembling Barbie Dolls.

The sex robots powered by artificial intelligence, which have been in development for years, were first rolled in 2017, but every few months, a more developed doll tops the previous versions.

Great controversy has aroused concerning the use of real sex dolls

Despite the broad acceptance of sex toys representing human body parts, the development and marketing of human-like full-body sex dolls and of interactive and moving full-body sex robots have elicited great controversy. The discrepancies begin with the clarification of the central concepts. Should sex dolls and sex robots simply be regarded as next-level, high-end sex toys? Do they play a different and more important role in the sexual and social lives of their owners and users? Are they treated as surrogates for real partners or even accepted as fully adequate posthuman synthetic partners? This would raise questions not only about their impact on sexual and overall health but also about the future of intimate relationships.

Consumers are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars for sex dolls for a variety of reasons, experts say. Some struggle to navigate the world of dating, others don’t have sex with their significant others and use dolls instead — or they supplement intimacy in their marriage with use of a sex dolls.

A typical usage scenario for sex dolls and sex robots is the domestic context in which the artifacts—after purchase—are available for recreational and long-term use at home. Some mental health experts fear that a reliance on sex dolls, particularly given the humanlike features of the newest models, could severely short circuit human connection.

The perspectives of clinicians are also divided

Some therapists, based on first case studies, explain how living with a sex doll can be a helpful and healing transitional process after traumatic experiences, especially when accompanied by professional therapeutic care.

We have some doubts about this new sex frontier, and we do also have additional and uncomfortable questions: what will happen to the world of paid sex and pornography? Will sex dolls increase or decrease sexual violence?

It is difficult to understand if the sex dolls, or more precisely the latest-generation hyper-technological silicone dolls, will be the alternative to prostitution; certainly will change the scenario: there will be, there are already in fact, people who will want to have sex with sex dolls, or who, indeed, will prefer them to people in the flesh, and this could reduce or limit the prostitution of human beings.

So, we think there is also an element of real replacement and not just “improvement” of the current conditions of prostitution because more technological, the latest generation of sex dolls can offer services and conditions that human beings cannot meet. There are those who, for example, want to have sex with a sex doll because in this way they have the chance to perform gestures that they couldn’t do with a human being: I am thinking of situations of physical and sexual violence, for example. According to some, this could be an effective way to reduce violence on human beings.

So, for sure the development of hyper-realistic sex dolls and the future of sex robots will force society to consider a new form of sexuality in the next future.