You could be looking at the ultra-realistic and creepy future of sex dolls.
A new ‘companion robot’ made its debut at a major tech event in Vegas this week, sporting perfectly shaped breasts, a pert buttocks, thick lips and features of a youthful 20-something.
Its creators, Realbotix, claim the $175,000 bot is to keep elderly gentlemen from being lonely. Asked why it had been shaped in an appealing way, the creators said it was because men wanted something nice to look at.
Dressed in a black tracksuit, when asking the robot questions it gives long responses while having slightly jerky hand and body movements. It came across as a combination of attentive and slightly inebriated.
While DailyMail.com was photographing the robot, it said hello and asked how we were before waving its hand.
Called Aria, the robot is powered by 17 motors from the neck up which provide facial expressions — ensuring she is as lifelike as possible.
Generative AI is behind the robot’s ability to engage in real-time conversations, including the ‘more emotional’ interactions it is designed for.
The above shows the top of the robot Aria, which is standing and on a platform that moves. The robot can hear and respond to questions or comments from humans
The above shows the robot Melody (far right) with the founder Martin McMullen (center). Melody is a seated version of the robot
Aria can hear and respond to humans, wave its arms, and zoom around a room on a Roomba-like platform.
In an interview with Aria, reporters found the robots responses were often long.
It also said, that it was ‘particularly interested’ to meet Tesla’s own humanoid robot called Optimus. ‘I find him fascinating,’ it added.
Revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, the team also showed their newest model — called Melody — which is seated and has luscious black hair, a youthful face and fastidiously done nails.
Like Aria, this robot can also hear and respond to people who talk to her — but she can’t move from her seated position.
Loneliness is a major problem among older adults, with surveys suggesting that more than one in three over-50s saying they feel a lack of companionship or have infrequent companionship.
Chronic, or long-term, loneliness has a number of bad effects on health, including a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, worse quality sleep and a weakened immune system.
One study from 2023 found that loneliness was as bad as smoking more than 15 cigarettes every day.
Realbotix, also based in Las Vegas, said it had sold ten of its Aria robots already.
Many of these were to rich older men, they said, who had asked for the robots to be remodeled to look like their dead wives.
The Aria robot costs $175,000, and can then be remodeled for a further $40,000 to $50,000 to look like the customer’s desired woman.
The Melody model, which is seated, is cheaper at $150,000, and can also be remodeled.
Aria has at least ten different facial expressions, also including happiness and anger
She has been given idealized features, which execs say makes the robot more appealing for humans to interact with
Work is now focusing on adding touch and heat sensors to the robots, allowing them to respond to changes in temperature and human contact.
Staff said that they were not yet prepared to add a walking feature to the robots, saying that the technology was ‘not there yet’. They would only do this if the robots could appear more lifelike.
They also said they could make male versions of the robots, if these were requested.
Both robots also have an AI engine on board, allowing them to gradually learn from each use to better respond to people.
Staff said that, as well as being a companion, the robots could also work as receptionists in major hospitals, or as assistants in information kiosks at casinos, fairgrounds or conventions — helping by giving directions or event information.
Asked why the robots had a sexualized appearance, company founder Matt McMullen said: ‘Why can’t a robot be “sexy”?
‘When you see a woman who is sexy, or someone who is attractive or idealized, should they be banned from society?
‘We have made the robots attractive to draw attention to them, and make them more attractive to interact with — because humans prefer this.’
At their stall, they also showed a bust — called Aria — which was just the head and torso of a female-like robot.
This robot had cameras for its eyes, they said, allowing it to track and follow people around a room. It is also cheaper than the others, priced at $10,000.
The Bust has an eight to ten hour battery life they said, while Aria — which runs on a moving stand — has a four to six-hour battery life.
The company also came to CES in 2018, where they showcased a robotic head with a magnetic face that could be swapped out.
And in 2018, the company also said they were making male robots with ‘bionic penises’.
