CES 2018 was one of the strangest in recent years. The shadow of Meltdown/Spectre hung over all official presentations, and an unexpected blackout caused thousands of dollars in losses, notably changing the mood of the convention. But there were also some very eye-catching things… starting with sex robots. One of the developments that received the most press attention is Harmony/Solana, a design by Realbotix that will allow the user to apply a high level of customization, to the point that they can change the face of their robotic companion without any trouble.
A Robot with Interchangeable Faces
The technology in the service of personal satisfaction. Alternative companions that adapt to each user's desires. Bytes, plastic, metal, silicon and silicone trying to shape a market whose goal will be, in a way, to fill emotional voids. We still remember well the Gatebox project, which offers a virtual avatar in the form of an adorable anime character, and those who have had the chance to see Blade Runner 2049 surely thought about the virtues of the Joi platform. However, the physical aspect cannot be dismissed, and that's where sex robots come in. Until now they have had many problems coming to market, but the one that seems to hold the most potential is Harmony/Solana, from Realbotix.
Why "Harmony/Solana"? In simple terms, Harmony is an artificial intelligence with its own face and hair, while Solana is one of its personalities, installed in a body of quite generous proportions. That is the key to the whole project: with a couple of adjustments in the official app, the user can alter the expressions and way of speaking of the robot, while completely replacing its face and hair. Although there is technical capacity to use male faces (Realbotix confirmed it is working on a more appropriate version for them), the Harmony/Solana platform was designed with female companions in mind.
If everything goes well, Harmony/Solana will have its official market debut at the end of this month, with a price ranging between 8,000 and 10,000 dollars… per head. Personally, I think the company has a lot of work ahead. At first glance, we must recognize that Harmony/Solana has a certain appeal, but the limitations in the movement of its jaw when it speaks break any illusion.
