Fears over sex robot ‘dark side’

REALISTIC sex robots will bring about a social and technological revolution, experts predict.

While it might seem like science fiction, the machines are becoming increasingly sophisticated and over the next 10 years realistic sex androids will become more common.

But scientists yesterday sounded grim predictions about the “dark side” of the advancing technology. It could even mean grappling with issues such as rape and paedophilia.

Professor Noel Sharkey from the UK and Dr Aimee van Wynsberghe, associated professor in ethics and technology at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands, said the sex robots will pose difficult ethical issues to society and relationships.