Humans are about to become much more intimate with inanimate but increasingly capable sex toys.

That’s according to a new report published by the Foundation for Responsible Robotics, which charts out a world that will soon go well beyond lifeless vinyl blow-up dolls.

The report, “Our Sexual Future with Robots,” details how companies have taken that blow-up doll and over the years given it silicone skin, customizable body parts, an articulated metal skeleton for advanced maneuverability and even speech recognition and verbal interaction with the doll. They are also loaded with body sensors so they respond to the user’s touch.

One such bot is the $15,000 dollar Harmony RealDoll (pictured) made by Abyss Creations. Harmony looks real, but also sounds real-ish, thanks to her being endowed with artificial intelligence. According to Abyss, Harmony doesn’t just interact with you, but she learns about you. That is, if you connect to the Harmony app.

According to the report, Harmony will soon be joined by a legion of such advanced sex toys. The study cites surveys in which people were asked how keen they would be to try out a sexbot, and while the results differed, it turns out a good number of men and women would give it a try.

This is good and bad news according to the report, which said some amount of tenderness can occur between robot and human partner. The study states there is a problem known as “uncanny valley,” whereby humans become freaked out if the bot is too realistic. “We must not underestimate the psychology of fantasy and the ability to suspend disbelief,” said the report. We become immersed in the fiction, and can be happier for it. The downside is the possibility of closing the door on human relationships.

If, however, people are recovering from psychological wounds that have occurred in their sex life, the robot could help address the problem. This could relate to “erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation” and the doll becomes a therapeutic tool. It may also help people often seen as “non-sexual beings” because of a physical or mental disability.

It’s good news most of the way, according to the study, which discusses the possibility of a reduction in sex crimes and human trafficking. The report also broaches the possibility of child sex robots – currently available in Japan – being used to prevent pedophiles from committing crimes. But scholars believe this may have a negative “reinforcing effect.” One such Californian scholar and robot ethicist said, “Treating pedophiles with robot sex-children is both a dubious and repulsive idea.”

In a nuanced conclusion, the report stated that the revolution is no doubt coming, but sex bots will be full of ethical landmines. While helping people with relationship problems, they might also lead to more objectification of the female body, and while reducing sex crimes, they might also unleash a beast. “It is the responsibility of our governments and the wider international community to determine what is publicly and morally acceptable before stepping into regulatory territory,” the study concluded.

Image: abyssrealdoll via Instagram