KEY POINTS

  • The Sex Robots Are Coming airs Thursday at 10pm on Channel 4
  • James, 58, features heavily in the documentary as they track his relationship with sex robots

A new documentary by Channel 4 is set to provide extensive insight into the world of sex robots.

The Sex Robots Are Coming follows a company over two years as they attempt to create a fully functioning sex robot. In between this, they also meets a sex robot enthusiast and explore the moral issues they raise.

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The one-off documentary will screen on Thursday November 30 at 10pm.

Featured in the documentary is for sex doll enthusiast James, 58, who has been happily married for 36 years but now has a simultaneous relationship with sex robot, April. The documenatry explores his desire to save up £8,000 for a doll with more life-like functions and his positive relationship with them.

When confronted with the newest development in sex robots he tells it "you're like talking to a real girl" as he holds a controller.

Opponents , however, argue the robots are modelled on pornographic representations of women and encouraging misogyny.

Experts are now warning that 'digisexuals' - people whose sexual appetites are mostly satisfied by technology - will increase exponentially and that psychotherapists will need to prepare for this.

Sex robots are not the sole source of a technology-based sexual relationship however. Pornography channels also offer 3D content which can be accessed using headsets, while online role-playing games such as 3dx Chat mean people can sexually interact through the use of avatars.

These warnings came following a report by ethics researchers at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada.

"It is safe to say the era of immersive virtual sex has arrived,' said Dr Neil Mccarthur, Director of the university's centre for professional and applied ethics.

'As these technologies advance, their adoption will grow and many people will come to identify themselves as 'digisexuals' - people whose primary sexual identity comes through the use of technology."