The robotic courtesan, the hardware geisha has long been a fixture, a dystopian dream often found in sci-fi films and books. Now, this paper (in PDF) provides handy hints to designing your very own SIAR (Sexually Interactive Autonomous Robots).

While not disputing the prediction that sex robots will one day become a commercial reality, I do not think that we will be witnessing red-light districts populated by hooker androids or mixed-ware marriages anywhere in the near or medium-term future.

The sex robot, if anything, could be the twentyfirst century evolution of the blow-up doll, an item destined for the terminal sadness of a niche market.

But the paper is fun to read, if nothing else as a reminder of all those physical sensations, carnal nuances and scents that are omitted from its pages.

Having said that, remember this: "It is important that our SIAR be able to breathe".

(link found on things)