Gadling

Love is hard - in any language - but you shouldn't let your search for Mr. / Mrs. Right get you down. After all, if you're having problems finding someone of the same species who understands you completely and intimately, perhaps it's time to start looking elsewhere...

Last week, Sega announced that they will soon start selling EMA, a 15 inch tall robotic girlfriend that kisses on command. Aimed at a target market of lonely adult men, the robotic lover will hit stores this September, and will retail for around US$175.

Now, I know what you're thinking - EMA isn't exactly a cheap date, and with that kind of dough, you could easily hit the bar and club scene in search of a potential mate. But, as Sega is quick to point out to potential buyers, EMA is very sweet, petite, stacked where it counts and runs on batteries.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering what exactly EMA stands for, it's actually an acronym for 'Eternal Maiden Actualization.' Right.


So, assuming you're still with me, I guess you're wondering what exactly EMA does. Well, perhaps it's best to let Minako Sakanoue, the Sega spokewoman, answer for me.

"Strong, tough and battle-ready are some of the words often associated with robots, but we wanted to break that stereotype and provide a robot that's sweet and interactive. She's very lovable and though she's not a human, she can act like a real girlfriend."

Well while EMA can't exactly engage you in deep and philosophical conversation or stand by your side for a night out on the town, she can love you nevertheless. Using state of the art infrared sensors, EMA can pucker up her lips and give kisses to her human masters. Just for the record, this is what EMA's designers call her "love mode."

Believe it or not, the fun doesn't stop there! EMA can also serve as your busty personal assistant. If you're entertaining clients, she can hand out business cards, sing, dance and flirt with the best of them.

Seem ridiculous? Perhaps. But, Sega expects to sell more than ten thousand EMA robots in the first year alone, and we can only imagine what Version 2.0 is going to be able to do!

On a serious note, robotics in Japan isn't to be taken lightly, especially since the country produces nearly half of the world's industrial robots. The country is also one of the leaders in artificial intelligence, a multi-billion dollar industry that is likely to transform the world in the years to come.

So, while sex bots like EMA might not exactly free our species from the trials and tribulations of love and lust, it's still an impressive achievement. And don't worry ladies - Sega has already announced plans for Hubby bots to keep lonely women comfortable at night (^_^)

** Special thanks to my cousin Stew for digging up this little gem of an article **

Filed under: Asia, Japan, Big in Japan