The INQUIRER is not sure that it would trust a robot to make a cup of tea, so it is now very content to keep its dinkle out of the digital domain, but there are companies that sell such silicon enhanced sex vessels.

It also wants to build alliances with campaigns against the sexual exploitation of humans and to create “a new and alternative voice to highlight the dangers of producing sex robots and the ideas behind them and how their production will impact on the real lives of women and children and men”.

Dr Richardson says they reinforce traditional stereotypes of women and the view that a relationship need be nothing more than physical. The idea sbehind the robots “show the huge horrors still present in the world of prostitution which is built on the “perceived” inferiority of women and children and therefore justifies their uses as sex objects”, the researchers say.

But senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Dr Kevin Curran believes sex robots are poised to become a mass market success. “As researchers we encourage a wider debate and discussion about the development of sex robots and the implications for society”, said the page.

The news comes weeks after Dr Helen Driscoll – a leading on authority on the psychology of sex and relationships – claimed sex with robots would become the social norm within the next 50 years. “People can find happiness and fulfilment other than via human interaction”, he added. He told that he expects people to just chill with robots, and not just bother them for sexy times. Turning these robots into attractive companions is simply adding a “skin”.

The U.S. firm hopes Roxxxy will eventually be able to learn on her own, and begin to pick-up on her owner’s likes and dislikes. “That time is coming to an end”, he said. According to Hines, “the majority of the time will be spent socializing and interacting” with the sex robot, as opposed to engaging in intercourse.

“The better term is “sex object”, said Dr Richardson, who emphasised that the objectification of prostitutes in the prostitute/john relationship is one that’s mimicked in the relationship between sex-robots and their owners.

However, he thinks a public backlash is inevitable.

“Have we sufficient legalisation in place for the issues that can arise in a future where robots are sufficiently advanced as to be indistinguishable from humans at first glance?”