I was going to start this article about robots with a reference to Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. But then I spoke to Blay Whitby, a philosopher concerned with the social impact of emerging technologies and the trivialisation of robots in the media - and I decided otherwise.

Because when it comes to robots, it’s simply no use discussing them through the lens of our favourite film or science fiction book. Cliched as it may be, the future is here; we can and should talk about reality. Within a matter of decades we’ve become entirely reliant on technology and robots are increasingly part of our everyday lives. Now it is estimated that realistic sex robots will become more common within a decade.

There are currently four manufacturers making life-like robotic dolls worldwide, but experts predict that in coming decades they could become widespread, used not just as a fetish, but for sexual therapy and as companions for lonely, disabled or older people.

Take RealDoll. The California-based company is unveiling a $15,000 life-size, hyper realistic, silicone sex doll. She can talk, blink, smile, regurgitate facts about your life - and, of course, have sex with you. Her name is Harmony and she is being hailed as the most significant development thus far in the $30 billion sex tech industry.