Japan: Humans Might Soon be Taking Life-Like Androids as Partners in Marriage

A visitor (R) takes pictures of an android, 'Asuna', produced by Japanese robot company A-Lab, for the reception of a robot booth of the annual Tokyo Designers Week in Tokyo on October 26, 2014. The Asuna model is a 15-year-old girl and which is remote controlled by an operator who monitors visitors by a video camera. Getty Images

Life-like robots are taking Japan by storm and will soon be seen as actresses and even used as clones of the deceased.

Physical relations will be possible in general with such androids. Androids for the sex industry are a definite possibility. Some have even fallen in love with Ishiguro's geminoids. So we can't rule those relationships out.

- Takahashi Komiyama, spokesman, A-Lab

Earlier this month, Robotics Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro showcased his latest creation, Android 'Asuna' at the Tokyo Designers' Week.

Dubbed a 'geminoid', Asuna was well-liked by the visitors at the show, who said the robot was very human-like and had a nice voice, reported the Daily Mail.

"[Asuna] would make a good date; a cheap date!" said one man.

Most of the visitors remarked 'sukoi' meaning 'amazing' upon seeing Asuna, due to her human-like skin and facial expressions.

How does Asuna work?

An android 'Asuna', produced by Japanese robot company A-Lab, is displayed at the reception of a robot booth of the annual Tokyo Designers Week in Tokyo on October 26, 2014. Getty Images

Asuna solely relies on a camera installed behind her that is linked to a remote, human controller, and comes to life, taking on her operator's personality.

For now, Asuna is not equipped with advanced artificial intelligence (AI), face and voice recognition systems, however, a fully independent version is expected to be released in 10 years that is said to be nearly identical to a human being, said Takeshi Mita, CEO of A-Lab in Tokyo.

Mita is working alongside Professor Ishiguro to bring Asuna to life.

Mita told MailOnline: "We already have 20 year's experience making androids in the lab. So in 10 years we will marry AI and life-like geminoids in perfection.

"We had been focusing on perfecting her skin, facial expressions, and so on, so for now Asuna is really just a head. Now we are working on her arms and torso to give very natural, fluid body language," .

Asuna in the real world

Asuna has so far appeared on stage and dubbed for actors.

"One application we have is to turn her into an international pop idol," said Mita, as reported by the the Daily Mail.

Takahashi Komiyama, a spokesman working with Ishiguro's lab said: "Physical relations will be possible in general with such androids. Androids for the sex industry are a definite possibility. Some have even fallen in love with Ishiguro's geminoids. So we can't rule those relationships out."

"It is not inconceivable ... that we will be making android life partners in the near future," said an Orient Industries spokesman.

Firms like Orient Industries are already cashing in on advanced sex dolls.

Japan Artificial Intelligence