Artificial intelligence and robots are becoming incredibly advanced, which is opening doors to things that, just a few decades ago, were thought of as purely science fiction… like sex robots. That’s right, while plenty of researchers are working on robots that can improve our lives in some truly amazing ways, some guys is working on a project known as Realbotix which aims to create a sex robot that can actually speak to you.
Matt McMullen has proved that some people are willing to spend thousands on sex dolls. Mr. McMullen, the creator of the RealDoll, says he has sold over 5,000 customizable, life-size dolls since 1996, with prices from $5,000 to $10,000. Not only can his customers decide on body type and skin, hair and eye color, but on a recent day in the company’s factory in San Marcos, Calif., a craftsman was even furnishing one doll with custom-ordered toes. Mr. McMullen’s new project, which he is calling Realbotix, is an attempt to animate the doll. He has assembled a small team that includes engineers who have worked for Hanson Robotics, a robotics lab that produces shockingly lifelike humanoid robots. Mr. McMullen is first focusing on developing convincing artificial intelligence, and a robotic head that can blink and open and close its mouth. He’s also working to integrate other emerging technologies, like a mobile app that acts like a virtual assistant and companion, and virtual reality headsets that can be used separately or in tandem with the physical doll.
