Academics doubt benefits of sex robots

No evidence that sex robots could reduce the number of sex crimes. Photo / 123RF

Sex robots are unlikely to solve loneliness or reduce sexual violence, according to doctors in Britain.

The booming sex technology industry has seen devices sold for more than £10,000 ($18,930) each, with speculation they could provide "companionship".

However, writing in BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health, experts said there was no evidence to back up such claims - nor to support speculation they could reduce the number of sex crimes.

Dr Chantal Cox-George, of St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Professor Susan Bewley, of the Women's Health Academic Centre at King's College London, trawled the research base on "sexbots". While they found much debate about their merits and risks, they said they could find no research on their health implications.

They said the idea that the sexbots could provide "companionship" was patronising and "requires a change in meaning of 'companion' from a living, interacting person" and that the use of such devices could worsen loneliness. "While a human may genuinely desire a sexbot, reciprocation can only be artificially mimicked," they said.

Cox-George and Bewley said that the predominant market for sexbots would be unrelated to healthcare. "Thus the 'health' arguments made for their benefits, as with so many advertised products, are rather specious," they said.

They also suggested that the idea that sexbots could reduce sexual violence against women and children was "optimistic".

"It is speculative whether the development of a sexbot marketplace will lead to lesser risk of violence and infections, or drive further exploitation of human sex workers."