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Scientists in New Zealand say brothels staffed by robot prostitutes could be a reality by 2050. In the paper Robots, Men And Sex Tourism, Ian Yeoman and Michelle Mars of the Victoria Management School in Wellington imagine a world in which sex tourism has become respectable and human trafficking and the spread of STDs stemmed by replacing human prostitutes with lifelike sex robots.

Made with bacteria-resistant materials, these robots will ensure safe sex and may be seen as a more ethical way of hiring a prostitute. Although prostitutes themselves may not be keen on the developing technology, researchers believe robot sex workers can bring a level of respectability to the prostitution game.

The paper describes a fictitious brothel in Amsterdam called Yub-Yum where, for a little more than $8,000 (£6,200), visitors are "guaranteed a wonderful and thrilling experience as all the androids are programmed to perform every service and satisfy every desire."