Why health claims for sexbots are misleading

Sexbots provide a good therapeutic option for people who want a reliable outlet to satisfy their sexual needs.

At least, that’s the well-worn marketing message from the makers of these hyperrealistic robot dolls.

However, a paper published in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health disputes this assertion.

The authors argue that claims sexbots have a therapeutic purpose are not based on scientific evidence.

Supposed benefits of sexbots for potential users and the wider community include safer sex — the sexbots are washable and made with antibacterial materials — and the potential to contain sexually deviant or exploitative behaviours.

But in the absence of hard evidence to support these ideas, they are, at best, a sign of wishful thinking, argue the researchers.

"It is speculative," they write, "whether the development of a sexbot marketplace will lead to