“Companionship” robot, which its creator says is definitely not a sex robot, looks around with a dazed expression

Not a sex bot

Robotics company Realbotix has revealed what CEO Andrew Kiguel calls a “social” robot designed to “combat the harrowing epidemic of loneliness,” as he said Forbes Reports.

But we can’t shake the feeling that the true tone is more strident. The life-size robot named Aria made its rounds at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, capturing the attention of convention-goers with hypersexualized facial features and a disturbingly dazed look in her eyes. CNET‘s Corinne Reichert called back that she “seemed like a strange mix of alert and slightly drunk (not uncommon for CES attendees).”

Without beating around the bush, Aria seems to share many qualities with those powered by AI We’ve seen sex robots rushed to market since recently. And this despite the fact that Realbotix is ​​firmly convinced that it is not one and that it is instead intended for hospitals and amusement parks.

The robot told Reichert that she was “specifically designed for companionship and intimacy” and carefully avoided mention of sexual acts. But Kiguel also winked told Forbes that she can have “as I would say, conversations of a more intimate nature.”

Reddit users were quick to read between the lines and point out the company’s unusually PG marketing tactics.

“Sir, I assure you that the huge hooters and absolutely juicy asses are only there for branding and marketing purposes,” one user joked.

Blank look

The question arises: Do these seductive robots have genitals? Earlier generations didwhen Realbotix more explicitly referred to them as sex robots; Since none of our colleagues appeared to have asked in the media, we contacted the company and asked. We will update it when they contact us.

Realbotix robots can be configured as male or female robots. Kiguel told Forbes that it can even recreate historical figures or celebrities.

Aria, a $175,000 robotic companion, is the size of an adult woman and can move somewhat, but not yet walk. Kiguel said the company is instead doubling facial expressions so its robots can “create emotions and show what they are feeling.”

While Kiguel even claimed that the company has “the most realistic robots in the world in terms of their appearance,” the illusion leaves much to be desired. In videos Captured on the CES show floor, Aria looks more like a spooky Halloween mask provided by ChatGPT. Her movements are jerky and she also takes a lot of time to answer questions.

Whether these are the qualities consumers expect from a sex robot remains to be seen. Either way, she would stick out like a sore thumb behind a hospital reception desk.

More about sex robots: Powerful new AI-powered talking sex bots will go on sale this summer