“Doing the robot” is about to take on a whole new meaning

Melissa G

To bot or not to bot… that is the question? It’s 2010, and according to 1960s sci-fi pop culture, we should be fully immersed in a technologically rich society complete with flying cars, teleportation devices, and robots.
Okay, granted, our contemporary society may not be as beautifully futuristic as Kubrick’s 2001, A Space Odyssey would have us believe. Let’s face it: HAL is a less-than-friendly depiction of one of them robots. Maybe we can see a friendly go-getter from I,Robot, arrive in our living rooms to replace the television for entertainment; television is really just like a robot anyway, only presumably not sentient.
We’ve already seen significant progress in bionics within the last few years. Bionics allows the organic flesh and artificial machine to merge into one entity with the help of a neural prosthetic. The advancements of bionics increase the success rate of transplants, optimistically making prosthetics, whether limbs or eyes, more manageable. Bionics has yet to perfect a smooth, flowing prosthesis, but technology is allowing for a physical and visual representation of a mechanical human.
At this rate, we might see a more widespread acceptance of cyborgs, rather than the fear so often portrayed in pop culture. Our fear of technological beings persists in films from Terminator to The Matrix. We seem to believe are inevitably destined to dominate and control humans. But what if we chose not to fear the robots, and to love them instead?
Bladerunner and Battlestar Galactica taught us that replicates and cylons need love and affection. The examples of cyborgs found within these narratives have sex with other cyborgs, and with humans too. Ethically, where does this leave the human or the cyborg? Is it ethical for humans and robots to have sex? Would humans be the only factor in the moral equation, or are the robots factored in as well? In the case of Battlestar Galatica, the main representation of the cylons is a highly sexualized and beautiful Number Six, portrayed by Tricia Helfer. And she is, after all, just like a human, isn’t she? She desires, she lusts, she fantasizes. She can have consensual sex, and she does.
Robotic sex apparently is at humanity’s fingertips. Reminiscent of the creepiness of the Stepford Wives, the world’s first robotic sex doll was released in January 2010. Meet Roxxxy – a 5’7, 120 lb interactive sex robot. She’s programmable, so she is guaranteed to get along with anyone who buys her. She is designed to communicate and have conversations. Not only is her personality programmable, but her skin tone, hair colour, eye colour, makeup, and pubic hair style are customizable. Yes, Roxxxy has the option of styled pubic hair.
For the required monthly fee, Roxxxy connects to an operating system for software updates and technical support. The same company that created Roxxxy is currently developing a male version named Rocky.
So, life-size robotic sex toys are available. But having sex with a robot that resembles a human can generate a bit of controversy. Aside from the moral considerations, how socially acceptable is this, if at all?
Lars and the Real Girl portrays a lonely male who purchases a sex doll for companionship. Initially, the community rejects him, but they gradually come to accept and even care for the doll. Sex dolls like Roxxxy and Rocky challenge what is seen as sexually acceptable in our society. Their life-like features and programmable personalities eerily replicate human identity.
Are Roxxxy and Rocky pushing sexual boundaries too far, or are they merely an extension of previous phenomena – in essence, just a large sex toy? For now, those seeking robotic release will have to content themselves with the smaller scale dildos and vibrators, a more socially acceptable, and affordable, form of electronic pleasure.