According to a study that was released last month, 20% of men would have sex with a robot.
They’re in luck, because a graphic designer from Hong Kong is penning a DIY handbook to help them (and the 80% that were lying during the study) fulfill their amorous android ambitions.
Ricky Ma Wai-kay — who introduced his Scarlett Johansson robot to the world in April — is trying to raise money to build a second-generation humanoid with even more lifelike features.
While he’s doing that, the 42-year-old will produce a handbook so that others can reproduce their own Mark 1 prototype at home. Although he says the ScarJo bot — which has a 3D-printed skeleton covered with silicone skin and can move as well as respond to verbal commands — isn’t a sex toy, Ma does believe his creation could be an excellent companion for the right person.
“Many people feel very alone and some people are not skilled at communicating with girls or boys,” he told the South China Morning Post. “I don’t think they should fall in love with robots but [having a robot companion] could help them psychologically.”
Even if the DIY handbook leads to more bots in the bedroom, Dr. David Kreps of Salford University, who will be chairing a conference exploring the impact technology has on sexuality in September, says that while sex with robots will increase in the next 50 years, android love will not.
“Love takes two people — it’s about human beings,” he said. “A very large part of the physical and chemical connection between humans relies on eye contact and you’re never going to experience that with a machine, no matter how much AI there is.”
We’ll take his word for it … for now.
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