Humans could soon be having sexual relationships with robots, a top academic has claimed. Dr Helen Driscoll said advances in technology mean the way in which humans interact with robots is set to change drasti cally in the coming years.
Dr Driscoll, a leading authority on the psychology of sex and relationships, said `sex tech' was already advancing at a fast pace and by 2070, physical relationships will seem primitive.Already you can order a mannequin partner online. And robotic, in teractive, motion-sensing technology is likely to become more and more central to the sex industry in the next few years. “It could really start to enable mannequin partners to `come to life'“, according to Dr Driscoll, from the University of Sunderland.
She said, “We tend to think about issues such as virtual reality and robotic sex within the context of current norms. But if we think back to the social norms about sex that existed just 100 years ago, it is obvious that they have changed rap idly and radically .
Robophilia may be alien now, but could be normal in the near fu ture as attitudes evolve with technology .
“As virtual real ity becomes more re alistic and immersive and is able to mimic and even improve on the experience of sex with a human part ner; it is conceivable that some will choose this in preference to sex with a less than perfect human being.“ Dr Driscoll adds: “People may also begin to fall in love with their virtual reality partners.“
