Forget the Turing test. Imagine when a machine can not only convince us of their intelligence, but attract us with it. Bladerunner gave us a great glimpse in the eighties: sexy androids manipulating humans with their power to woo. Science fiction has always tackled the sticky subject of sexuality and technology, blurring the lines between the cold mechanics of the computer and the sensual maze of human emotion.

One of the activities which we consider to be qualitatively human is our unique sexual experience; but as “human” becomes “post-human,” what happens to sex? We already have sexting, homegrown porno, and sex toys that would make your parents blush… but what comes next?  Here, we explore a few ways in which sex has shifted with technology, and do a little speculation (fantasizing?) of our own.

Try this one on for size. In 1953, Dr. John C. Lilly was planting electrodes deep into the brains of monkeys for the National Institute of Mental Health. By running currents through their neural tissue, he was able to map out areas that produce fear, pain, anger, and pleasure. He discovered that in male monkeys, separate systems controlled erection, ejaculation, and orgasm. By hooking electrodes to the orgasm system, he could produce one after another. Then he gave the monkey a button to stimulate itself once every three minutes. The monkey slept about eight hours a day, and – you guessed it – pushed the button the other sixteen.

Of course, most of us aren’t ready to let anyone stick electrodes into our brain stem (good luck getting research ethics approval on that one). Still, as we crack the secrets of how the brain works – and we’re doing just that – who’s to say we won’t be able to create pleasure with our findings? Technology has always aimed to improve the quality of human life in one way or another; why shouldn’t that goal extend to our sex lives? I wouldn’t expect your very own orgasm button anytime soon, but the unfolding frontier of neuroscience just might have some surprises in store.

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