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Electronic scull of the AI sex doll robot is seen in Shenzhen Atall Intelligent Robot Technology headquarters in Shenzhen, Guandong Province, China, 12 March 2018. Shenzhen Atall Intelligent Robot Technology is one of China's leading companies for robots equipped with AI (artificial intelligence). Among the company’s various AI robot products, its best-selling is an AI sex robot named Emma. The multi-functional machine is linked to the internet and Android operating system and features high stimulation capabilities. Sex robots have soft and elastic skin made of modified thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) material, with less oil content and no smell. Its temperature adjustment is set to 37 C to resemble a human's. Safety issues are managed with anti-electric shock, anti-fire and anti-explosion measures. And the addition of body sensors help make sex robots feel more like a human. But a semblance of authenticity doesn't come cheap, and Emma's online retail price is about 20,000 RMB ($3,136) with most customers being men aged 40-50. Most clients are from Europe and the United States. There is also high interest for sex robots in the Middle East but importing them and sex toys into these countries is prohibited. It's a similar situation with Brazil, Chile and Argentina along with Russia and Philippines - where customs clearance for the robots is problematic. Male sex robots are also on the market but the sales volume is nine times lower compared to the female models. However, the market is constantly changing, and in recent years demand for male sex robots has been increasing, such as in Korea and Thailand. Shenzhen Atall also sells child-size AI sex robots, both male and female and the biggest market for them is the US and Canada. (Photo by Aleksandar Plavevski/EPA/EFE)
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