My robotic girlfriend
There’s a great article in The New York Times this week about Battlestar Galactica, love (or at least sex) between humans and robots and one person who believes such coupling is inevitable.
Writer Anthony Gottlieb describes the relationship between human and cylon very well (warning: mild spoilers for those not caught up to the most recent episode), and notes the show’s similarity to Romeo and Juliet — “When the robots and humans are not trying to kill one another, they rather convincingly fall in love.”
David Levy explored the idea in his book “Love and Sex With Robots”, and argues that people often become attached to inanimate or electronic devices. Consider Sony’s Aibo robotic dog and the Furby.
Of course, you might not want to hop on top of a Teddy Ruxbin, and the leap from toy companion to sex toy is a big one. Or is it? Consider the Actoid robots from Osaka University. Skin jobs indeed.
Still, that’s no Grace Park standing there. The idea is interesting, but until Ms. Park saunters into the room, I believe I’ll pass.