Reconfiguration of Sex Robots/Reconfiguration of Sexual Practices

• In Event: Digital Sexualities, Biomedical Practice, and Queer Realities: Activism & Sex Robots

Abstract

This paper discusses the power of emerging sexual, communicative and companion robots to facilitate the formation of new communities, particularly those based on unintended uses or configurations of robots. Robots that mimic human social interaction defy categorisation, an issue that is exacerbated by their current inaccessibility to typical consumers. Obviously anthropomorphic robots blur the policed line between human and nonhuman, but as they emerge from science fiction texts and become a part of our lives other transgressive qualities are becoming apparent. Framing a robot in terms of health, entertainment or other purposes prompts expectations for the way that a robot “should” be used by a consumer. The appearance and branded content of robots combines with the social, cultural and religious milieu to suggest certain affordances to consumers. Yet consumer uses of robots may consciously or unconsciously avoid the intended purpose of these robots causing conflict between users, manufacturers and maintainers of the social status quo. The uses of social robots for fetishistic/kinky play is made possible by their nonhuman status and their potential for customisation. The question of consent, both to sex and to the radical reconfiguration of robot bodies by consumers is addressed. Sexual, communicative and companion robots are born of fantasy, and early adopters of new sexual technologies have a unique opportunity to create new communities based upon the enactment of those fantasies. This paper will discuss the current and future potential of social robots to transgress human-imposed boundaries, which is permitted by their more nonhuman aspects.

Author

• Tessa Leach, University of Melbourne