CES 2010: The Sex Robot from the Uncanny Valley

Okay, so the Roxxxy True Companion sex robot wasn’t really at CES, but a quick shuttle ride over to the Sands and — voila! — I was at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo to check it out humanity’s first step in it’s journey to a Number Six cylon.

I talked to the creator, Douglas Hines, a former Bell Labs engineer who said it took several years, tons of money, and dozens of artists and engineers to bring Roxxxy to market. I found it a little bizarre that his sex robot idea was inspired by 9/11 — Hines said after losing a friend in the WTC attacks, he wished to be able to talk to them again, and got the idea for a robot that would have the personality of a person. That admirable mission, of course, turned into this…

While I was at the booth the sex robot sat spread eagle, as inanimate as a mannequin. According to Hines, there are servos under there, but I never saw how this thing actually works. The press release says “she can hear you, speak to you, feel your touch and carry on conversation,” but there was no demo.

The sex robot can be customized when you order from the True Companion website (cost: $7-9k). By paying a monthly fee you’ll be able to continually upload your robo-girlfriend with new information, so she’s able to, um, have a conversation with you.

To get you started, she comes preloaded with five girlfriend personalities:

-Frigid Farrah (reserved and shy)
-Wild Wendy (outgoing and adventurous)
-S&M Susan (“ready to provide your pain/pleasure fantasies”)
-Young (“she is oh so young (barely 18) and waiting for you to teach her”)
-Mature Martha (“she is very experienced and would like to teach you”)

…How about Uncanny Carrie?