Art, Science, and Technology of Human Sexuality

Abstract

In Spring 2017, Abyss Creations, a 20-year old manufacturer of hyper-realistic sex dolls (trade-named "RealDoll") with a loyal customer base, launched an artificial intelligence app (named "Harmony") to augment the dolls' already lifelike bodies, giving them customizable personalities and allowing them to flirt and converse with their owners. Abyss is not the only such maker-from the USA to Spain to Japan, "the $30 billion 'sex-tech' industry has a race underway to create the world's first commercially available AI-enabled sexbot, with dozens of firms contending" (Kleeman 2017). Figure 1 shows examples of sex dolls and their makers.

Conceptualising technology, its development and future: The six genres of technology

“…Beyond enhancing physical capability past levels of natural performance, the possibility of brain-computer connectivity ( Lotte et al., 2007 ; Martins et al., 2019 ) to enhance brain capability arises. Further and controversially, is the establishing, ethics and acceptability of human companionship and intimacy with android partners ( Song, 2018 ). This is especially relevant given global issues such as aging population and isolation/loneliness, but also raises such questions as to what constitutes ‘friendship’, especially if the companion has been present since birth ( Dautenhahn, 2013 ).…”

Partner Pen Play in Parallel (PPPiP): A New PPPiParadigm for Relationship Improvement

“…Human sexual, reproductive, and emotional behavior are the outcomes of social dynamics over evolutionary time (Sapolsky 2017). Currently we are witnessing an evolutionarily-novel decoupling of sexual intercourse & reproduction (e.g., by accessible birth control), physical intimacy & emotions (e.g., by hookup culture (Garcia et al 2012)), and reproduction & family (e.g., by changes in popular belief structures and the acceptance of birth-biotech) (Song 2018). The anticipated rise of disruptive sex-tech such as sexbots will complicate the situation further, by providing some humans with a non-human outlet for sexual interaction (Smith 2018).…”