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[–] EricHunting 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

A few months ago I wrote an article for the Inverse tech blog that predicted the imminent development of digital companion platforms using Pepper's Ghost display systems like this. I suggested companions and pets would soon become the 'killer app' for augmented reality platforms as well. We are likely to hear a lot about affective computing--that is, systems that exhibit emotional awareness and expression--in the near future. CGI based digital companions have a distinct advantage over the robots we've traditionally imagined in that they offer a very great range of expression and personalization at far less cost. Robots can be more tangible, of course, but they still remain very limited in physical interaction and animatronics is fragile, complex, and expensive. Robots also take up physical space that can be particularly scarce for the urban dweller. This is why I don't see sex robots as becoming as popular as often suggested. They would be very bulky cumbersome pieces of hardware that are difficult to keep discreet.