“Sex robots will remain a niche topic for some time to come”

Media psychologist Martina Mara from Ars Electronica Futurelab on the possible effects of realistic sex dolls.

“Unsurprisingly, sexrobots are a highly controversial topic, and so are research circles , ” says media psychologist Martina Mara, who heads the RoboPsychology research area at Ars Electronica Futurelab . Potential benefits of sex robots are commonly seen in therapeutic applications or as a safer alternative to human sex workers, according to Mara.

In addition, there is also the discussion about negative effects. “With stereotypically designed sex dolls, who clearly have a clearly passive part, we run the risk of bringing old gender clichés and non-empathic forms of sex back to the bedrooms by way of the robot,” says Mara.
Creepy androids
Add to this the so-called uncanny valley effect: “Human-like robots with a high degree of realism often seem very scary, so apart from the curious trying out, I think that sex with androids will remain a niche penchant in the foreseeable future.” The expert rather believes that new interactive sex toys for couples or relevant offers in the AR or VR sector will prevail instead.
“To regard a robot not only as a willing Duracell rabbit, but in the long term as probaten relationship replacement, it needs either very special preconditions on the part of the user – or the artificial intelligence of the robot would have to be incredibly sophisticated,” said Mara. People should not always put their light under the bushel, says the psychologist. “In our understanding of each other, in our spontaneity and creativity, we are unchallenged.”

What it’s like to live with a sex doll tells a user in the detailed report “In love with a sex doll: Daniel and the Real Doll “