Remember the French woman who claimed she was engaged to a 3D printed robot she had designed, or the Chinese engineer who performed a marriage ceremony with a robot wife? In a fascinating new story, the New York Times reports that a growing group of people identify themselves as "digisexuals" -- a provocative term for people who are attracted to robots and artificial intelligences, rather than humans with flesh bodies and biological mind. Academics have started to grapple with the concept of digisexuality, the Times reports. In 2017, researchers at the University of Manitoba and the University of Wisconsin-Stout published a paper that explored that rise of the concept -- and the technologies that enable it, from automated sex toys to robotic sex dolls that cost tens of thousands of dollars. "What they've been into is sex tech, toys they can control with their tech devices, that attach to their penis or their vulva," said Markie Twist, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and co-author of the paper, in an interview with the Times.

We live in an era when rapid advances in robotics and artificial intelligence are colliding with an expanding conception of sexual identity. This comes quickly on the heels of growing worldwide acceptance of gay, trans and bisexual people. Now you may describe yourself as polyamorous or demisexual -- that last one is people who only feel sexual attraction in close emotional relationships. Perhaps you best identify as aromantic (that's people who don't feel romance) or skoliosexual (that's a primary attraction to people of no, or multiple, or complex genders). Self-identification is not the same as identity, and some classes of description now may be closer to metaphor.

With the rise of technology, so too comes the rise of a new category of intimacy. Digisexuals, or people who primarily use technology for sexual satisfaction, could soon become more prolific in society, according to experts. "It is safe to say the era of immersive virtual sex has arrived," said Neil McArthur, the director of the Center for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba and the author of a new scientific study on digisexuality. McArthur and a team from the university published a new report in the Journal of Sexual and Relationship Therapy detailing the need to be prepared for a rise in digisexuality. "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, McArthur said, according to the Telegraph. "Many people will find that their experiences with this technology become integral to their sexual identity and some will prefer them to direct sexual interactions with humans." Catalan nanotechnology engineer Sergi Santos holds the head of Samantha, a sex doll packed with artificial intelligence providing her the capability to respond to different scenarios and verbal stimulus, in his house in Rubi, north of Barcelona, Spain, Mar. Technology like virtual reality has become increasingly realistic and now includes more ways than ever to satisfy sexual appetites. Some pornography channels have begun to offer three-dimensional role-playing games. Perhaps most notably, realistic sex robots have become available to purchase. The company Abyss Creations created an "Android Love Doll" that boasts 50 different sexual positions and comes complete with an app that learns as the user interacts with it. Buyers are also able to handpick a doll to their tastes, altering hair color and other body parts. Many dolls have realistic silicone skin and some form of artificial intelligence that allow them to interact with a user. Others go as far as simulating an orgasm during sex. And while some companies sell such robots for more than $20,000, that price will likely decrease over time as technology becomes more accessible. "There is no question that sexbots are coming," he said. "People will form an intense connection with their robot companions.

The surging availability of robotic sex dolls and virtual reality pornography means it is now easier than ever for people to rely on technology for all their sexual needs. Experts have warned we will soon see a rise in the number of people whose sexual and emotional appetites are almost entirely satisfied by the virtual world. For many people, technology will form a key part of their identity, and some will prefer to have loving relationships with sex robots instead of humans, the researchers claim. The surging availability of robotic sex dolls means it is easier than ever for people to rely on technology for their sexual needs. Experts have warned we will soon see a rise in the number of'digisexuals'.