Roxxxy is a female sex robot prototype from True Companion (TC), the world’s first sex robot company. She costs as much as $7,000 to $9,000 plus a separate subscription fee. Chief Executive of True Companion, Douglas Hines, does not believe the presence of sex robots in the society should cause any kind of harm.
While there are other sex robots manufacturing companies in existence, the special feature of Roxxxy is her ability to learn her partner’s likes and dislikes. She also comes with different physical features, subject to her owner’s preference. These qualities make her a favorite in the market, as Hines says, there are already thousands of pre-orders.
TC is yet to start the production of male sex robots. Campaigners against the robot, say that this is evidence of the robot’s objectification of women. As Leicester University Ethicist, Dr Kathleen Robinson says, “We have the real use of women and children in the real world (as sex objects) and this kind of paraphernalia reinforces that message”.
Campaigners against sex robots also claim that the invention and continuous existence of this type of robot seeks to destroy relationships at all levels.
On the contrary, Miguel Velez (2015) argues that the industry of sex robots is growing rapidly because of the human-like features that those robots offer. He maintains that sex robots are certain to become an important part of daily life.
Sex Psychologist, Dr Helen Driscoll says human interaction with robots will change drastically in the coming years. “Robophilia” will be the norm in 50 years”. In 2013, the Remote Presence Virtual + Independent Telemedicine Assistant (RP-VITA) received FDA approval for use in hospitals. The robot enabled effective remote communication between medical specialists and patients.
The Economist notes that there are several reasons there has been a steady rise and perceived demand for robots. First, Robotics R&D (research and development) is getting easier. In addition, the journey from inception to creation is getting much quicker. Also, investors are now open to investing in robotics, because robot manufacturing companies are quite simple, profitable.
Experts maintain that the robots will destroy the traditional meaning of marriage and human-human relationships. David Levy, in his book, Love+Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships (2007) argues that as the world evolves, different concepts of marriage will arise. He opines that acceptance and tolerance are not set in stone. He also predicts that the children of those who are infants today may have robots as family members in the future. Scary thought, right?
