Deflate those blow-up dolls and stop charging those batteries because in the near future, humans will likely have the ability to have sex, and even tie the knot, with robots, at least according to one researcher.
Psychologist David Levy of the Netherlands recently completed his Ph.D. work on robot-human relationships. He predicts humans could consummate relationships with robots by 2050, according to science Web site LiveScience.com.
"It may sound a little weird, but it isn't," Levy is quoted as saying. "Love and sex with robots are inevitable. … The question is not if this will happen, but when. I am convinced the answer is much earlier than you think."
Levy targeted males when referring to the benefits of sexualized robots in the LiveScience article. He says it would especially benefit men with wives too tired to perform; these women could simply tell their eager husbands to grab their robots. The article also highlights potential reductions in prostitution and sex crimes, as well as companionship for those unable to find a human partner.
However, the idea invokes a range of ethical issues, including the treatment of robot sex partners — which Levy is now researching — and how infidelity will be viewed in the context of robot relationships, according to the article. While the technology may be there, the willingness to make such a dramatic change in our social fabric may not.
Marriage may be the biggest obstacle to overcome for these robot lovers because marriage is a legal institution where rights and responsibilities are given to two people, says David Guston, an ASU political science professor. Robots don't fill the people bill, he says.
A robot would have to be identified as a person capable of receiving and acting on those rights, such as legally raising the children of the married partner, as well as receiving tax, health and other benefits of marriage, Guston says.
"Presumably, robots would have to have the ability to perform all these activities and not just perform sexually for society to reasonably consider sanctioning actual marriage," he says.
Psychology freshman Whitney Walker says intimacy between humans and robots isn't too different than masturbation and birth control when it comes to the Catholic religion.
"They all take away from true intimacy in my opinion," Walker says.
However, communications junior Sergio Muniz says it is a natural progression of an ever-evolving technological society.
"I'm sure people were appalled when the concept of having sexual relations with a rubber doll came about, but mankind easily adapted to that," he says.
It will be frowned upon, but it won't stop robots from being on the market, because that kind of industry has no limits, Muniz says.
"There's no stopping what people will have sex with," he says.
While Muniz says he doesn't necessarily agree with the whole idea of marriage with robots, he says if someone wants to, "go ahead."
"Just watch out for rust," he says.
Reach the reporter: kyle.snow@asu.edu.
