Her name is Aria, she's about 1.70 m tall, her head moves a little jerkily, and she can hold a conversation thanks to built-in AI. At first glance, you might think she's a robotic hostess straight out of an amusement park. Except that Aria doesn't go unnoticed, and not necessarily for the right reasons.
From sex doll to companion robot
Her hypersexualized appearance quickly got internet users talking: Aria looks like a Westworld-style inflatable doll. And that's not entirely false. The company that makes her, Realbotix, is a branch of Simulacra, the group behind the famous RealDolls, high-end sex dolls that have been sold for over 20 years.
Today, the firm claims to have changed course. "Aria has no genitals, she's not made for sex," insists a spokesperson. She's meant to accompany lonely people, acting as a concierge, assistant, or "digital girlfriend" for those seeking a presence—without physical contact. A shift meant to make us forget a past too closely tied to the adult sector... but not so easy to erase.
Aria can recognize the objects around her thanks to cameras hidden in her eyes. She remembers you, adapts her speech to your profile, and can even maintain a simulated long-term relationship. "We're trying to make a real version of Her," explains Andrew Kiguel, CEO of Realbotix, referring to the Spike Jonze film with the voice of Scarlett Johansson. The robot is modular; its faces are magnetic and interchangeable in five seconds. Its body is also made of of detachable parts, like a giant customizable doll.
But all this comes at a price: the top-of-the-range model costs $175,000! A simple talking bust? Around $12,000. And if you want to take your artificial companion on a trip, a suitcase model is available for... $150,000.
Realbotix is trying to attract a wider audience, promising robots to serve brands, healthcare establishments, or the hotel industry. But between its still-too-suggestive appearance and its stratospheric price, Aria is struggling to convince outside of tech shows. The company hopes that its image efforts – such as the legal separation between the robotics and sex doll branches – will attract new investors.
Whether this repositioning will be enough remains to be seen. Even without sex, Aria hasn't managed to convince everyone: too expensive, too strange, and still too close to its silicone past. For now, the robot remains stuck somewhere between Blade Runner, Black Mirror… and an awkward episode of That's My Choice.
0 Comments