Soft-tissued Muscles Coming to a Sexroid Near You!

The Livejournal Cyberpunk Collective member “ca91″ found a story about Tufts University Biomimetic Technologies Project’s creation of the first soft-bodied robots.

While robots have moved from the realm of science fiction to a myriad of real-life uses, the potential of the “hard-bodied” robots of the 21st century remains limited by their stiff construction and lack of flexibility. A group of researchers at Tufts University has launched a multidisciplinary initiative focused on the science and engineering of a new class of robots that are completely soft-bodied. These devices will make possible advances in such far flung arenas as medicine and space exploration.

…According to Kaplan, the project will bring together biology, bioengineering and micro/nano fabrication. “Our overall goal is to develop systems and devices–soft-bodied robots–based on biological materials and on the adaptive mechanisms found in living cells, tissues and whole organisms,” he explains. These devices, he notes, will have direct applications in robotics, such as manufacturing, emergency search and retrieval, and repair and maintenance of equipment in space; in medical diagnosis and treatment, including endoscopy, remote surgery, and prostheses design; and in novel electronics such as soft circuits and power supplies.

While they are definitely working on technology destined for the betterment of mankind, and more specifically, appear to be experimenting with caterpillar prototypes to get soft-bodied locomotion, ca91 predicts a more profitable use of this technology achievement:

Yeah, right I’ll make a prediction now:

This technology will become popular for the same reason the internet did: porn! But in this case it’ll be sex toys

Considering the significant advances Japan and Korea and have been achieving in creating female androids, I gotta agree - it’s only a matter of a time before high-priced Cherry 2000s hit the assembly line. One can already imagine hoards of nerdy venture capitalists, fresh off of making millions in the tech industry, descending on Masume Shirow to offer contracts to design customized product lines. This industry is gonna be jumpin!