Posthuman Blues

Korean Scientists Develop Female Android

Standing 1.6 meters tall and weighing about 50 kilograms, she can understand others, speak, blink with her eyes and makes several facial expressions.

But she is not human, rather an android developed by a team of South Korean scientists. It is only the second time in the world that an android has been developed -- Japan made the first one.

I especially like the picture of the kids touching "her" face in obvious wonderment.

I'm intensely curious how the world will change if and when androids cease to be oddities trotted out at technology conventions and become commonplace. I think android receptionists will probably be one of the first applications. Or baristas -- I'd gladly pay $10 for a cup of good coffee to see it made by a convincing artificial human. (Not every time, mind you, but at least once.)

And I know I've harped on this before, but I think it's near-inevitable that androids will play an important role in the sex industry within the next 20-30 years. (And yes, I'm well aware that it sounds like a prurient obsession.)