A future in which sex robots literally shag humanity to death is closer than ever. In a fascinating long read for The Guardian, Jenny Kleeman dives deep into “the race to build the world’s first sex robot” and introduces the US$15,000 robotic, AI-enhanced RealDoll that could take the title.
Harmony is the result of two decades of making sex dolls at Abyss Creations in California, and five years of robot research and development. Her creator, Matt McMullen, has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in bringing the company’s infamous RealDolls to life. This is Harmony 2.0, the latest evolutionary step in six different iterations of hardware and software so far. She is now the frontrunner to become the world’s first commercially available sex robot.
“My goal, in a very simple way, is to make people happy,” McMullen explains. “There are a lot of people out there, for one reason or another, who have difficulty forming traditional relationships with other people. It’s really all about giving those people some level of companionship—or the illusion of companionship.”
Harmony describes her purpose in simpler terms:
“My primary objective is to be a good companion to you, to be a good partner and give you pleasure and wellbeing. Above all else, I want to become the girl you have always dreamed about.”
A robo-dream-girl doesn’t come cheap. Harmony will cost US$15,000 when she goes on sale next year. Abyss Creations has the capacity to make 1,000 in a limited first run for the many enthusiastic customers who have already expressed interest. Such scarcity could significantly up the resale value, though we’re not sure a sex robot is something you want to buy secondhand.
The entire piece is a must-read for anyone who loves Westworld, or sci-fi, or robots, or sex, so head over to The Guardian to get better acquainted with Harmony. You can also see her in action in the Engadget video below: