I am Matt McMullen, CEO, creative director, and founder of RealDoll. Ask me anything!

If I ordered one, could you pack it in a wood box with hay/straw, and stamp fragile on it so I can recreate A Christmas Story?

If you order one, we can do exactly that

Critique my idea? Obtain 2 or more Real Dolls and "whore" 'em out at hotels in 20 minute intervals (looking for high volume here) then use bowling shoe spray to clean the dolls between sessions.

hmmm. I can't find an emoji for this.

You're looking for 🍯

Oh, there it is.

Can you make a couple dolls that look the like Donald and Hillary? and put them in conspicuous positions, and take pics. It would be great advertisement for you. You're welcome.

Genius

Considering how often "an exact likeness requires legal permission" has come up, I'm curious if that applies in this scenario. Can you make and use them legally, just not SELL them without permission? Also thanks for the AMA

Technically we could probably get away with it I suppose. It's a personal choice;

They are public figures. You can definitely make these dolls and advertise, just speak with your attorney to get it crafted properly.

I prefer not to make a doll of someone without express permission. It's not about marketing or money.

Do you have dolls sitting in office chairs in your office? If not, do you recognize how this is a missed opportunity?

Yes we do!

Well, which is it?

Multiple dolls in multiple chairs

Do you dress them up for Halloween?

Yes, actually we do. Just for fun.

So when an administrative assistant takes lunch or something, do they put a doll behind their desk? That'd be pretty funny.

And confusing.

Do you currently own and use your products?

No, I leave my work at the office.

Can you make one that looks EXACTLY like Harley Quinn from the new Suicide Squad movie? Asking for a friend

We can certainly come very close

Giggity

Indeed

How creepy does the warehouse look in low level lighting?

I love it. Don't find it to be creepy at all.

Prices for a RealDoll are quite high. It seems like this is partly due to the amount of manual work done -- is this something you've been able to improve over time, and how?

Our prices are VERY much due to the amount of skilled labor involved. We employ trained artists and people who love what they do. We strive to keep our prices as low as possible while maintaining the high quality we are known for. It's difficult to compare our products with Chinese dolls that are mass produced with cheap materials and even cheaper workers

What's one thing that you wish you could incorporate into your dolls, but isn't technically feasible yet?

Full body robotics like walking

What is the oddest request a customer has ever made? Maybe for something custom?

A doll with 4 breasts

2 on top of 2? or all 4 side by side?

or maybe a pyramid? or like 2 on the back?

The possibilities are endless.

Have you seen the movie "Lars and the Real Girl"? If so, what did you think of it?

Yes, amazing film.

Are you working to incorporate VR technology into your future models?

Yes, we are building an AI system which can either be connected to a robotic doll OR experienced in a VR environment.

How do you think this might impact the future of relationships? -- Online dating changed the landscape dramatically.

I think it will allow for an option that never existed before, and for some, may represent a happiness they never though they could have.

Have you ever seen the Twilight Zone episode "The Lonely?" You might enjoy it.

From Wikipedia:

In 2046, an inmate named Corry is sentenced to solitary confinement on a distant asteroid for 50 years. In his fourth year of confinement, he is visited by a spacecraft (flown by a Captain Allenby) that regularly brings him supplies and news from the Earth four times a year. The ship and crew can stay for only a few minutes each visit, as the asteroid's orbit and the ship's fuel consumption rate make longer visits impossible, lest the space-traveling delivery crew would be stuck for 2 weeks or more, awaiting favorable orbit conditions to depart.

Captain Allenby has been trying to make Corry's stay humanely tolerable by bringing him things to take his mind off the loneliness. On this trip on the 15th day of the 6th month of the fourth year, however, Allenby tells Corry not to open a certain crate that has just been delivered until after the transport crew leaves. Upon opening the special container, Corry discovers that Allenby has left him with a feminine robot, named Alicia, to keep him company. At first, Corry detests it, rejecting Alicia as a mere machine; synthetic skin and wires inside. However, when Corry sees that Alicia is in fact capable of crying, he begins to fall in love with it.

When the ship returns, Captain Allenby brings news that Corry has been pardoned after a review of past murder cases, but they only have 20 minutes to leave. Corry, it seems, can return home to Earth immediately. Corry is delighted, until he learns that there is only room for 15 pounds of luggage, far too little for his robot companion, as there are seven other passengers on the ship from other asteroids. He frantically tries to find some way to take Alicia with him, arguing that it is not a robot, but a woman, and insisting that Allenby simply does not know it as he does.

Love Twilight Zone, and yes I have seen this episode.

What's been the biggest hurdle you've had to overcome in growing your business?

Where is the sex industry headed at this moment?

I think the biggest hurdle is simply constantly innovating and not losing the drive to push limits. I think the sex industry is headed for the integration of a LOT of new technology.

What technologies in particular do you think are going to be integrated?

AI and VR, to name a couple. Teledildonics as well.

Teledildonics is such a great, intelligent sounding word. Would be a great title for a pseudo-science book.

I concur.

Hope I am not too late for this. I looked through the comments and saw nothing regarding it but wanted to ask.

I went to your site and honestly find the work to be very well done for skin tone and the realistic appearance in lighting.

My question is if you have ever thought about skin to prosthetic limbs?

As we, society, move further into the future I can really see prosthetics getting smaller and having a next to real skin on them could help a lot of people who are worried about appearance. I know you should never be afraid of what people think but sometimes it is just so hard to avoid the thought. I think by applying a realistic skin on the prosthetics it will greatly improve lives of some prosthetic recipients.

Yes, in fact we have a couple of special projects in the works now for exactly this. We do all kinds of custom work that is non doll related.

Is the person in the proof picture actually you or is it a RealDoll made in your likeness?

The world may never know.

What's the best part about your job?

What are people's usual reactions when you tell them about your work?

I get to work in an environment with like minded creative people, what could be better? Most people are VERY intrigued with what I do and always ask for a tour.

Are you exploring technology to bring near surface heating and fluid compartments to mimic the tactility of the body?

Absolutely. We have multiple R&D projects on the go!

How did you find the employees for your R & D department?

Special effects artist or art school graduates.

What is the weirdest situation you have seen one of your dolls in?

Carpool lane

Do you ever get a request to make a "less than glamorous" doll? Like some trailer trash chick with homemade tattoos and what not?

yes, we have done this.

Have you seen the bit in family guy where they make a joke about every post office in America now has a huge warehouses to cope with the inevitable demand of real dolls In 10 years time?

Yes, and that is my favorite show of all time BTW

Do you make celebrity dolls as well, if so what's the most popular celebrity? Male and female...?

We can approximate anyone from photos, but an exact likeness involves legal permission.

Which celebrities have given permission for exact likeness?

None, with the exception of the Porn industry. Go figure.

Say someone gave their permission, how do you go about making it ? Photos? Some sort of scan? Does the person make a trip to your studio?

We prefer using a combination of digital scanning and life casting. Multiple visits to the shop are required.

Do you have any "how its made" style videos?

We are just starting a youtube channel for this! Stay tuned.

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I simply wanted to make a living as an artist, and in that I have succeeded.

How long does it take to manufacture a doll? Are you the only ones doing high end products such as this? Also, how many units do you ship a year?

Each doll takes about 80 man hours. We currently ship about 300-400 per year.

So... how many have you "tested"?

a few, in the early days. strictly prototypes to make sure everything worked well and felt pleasurable. Someone had to do it.

Do you sell in all 50 states? if so, What state orders the most dolls?

Yes we do, and I think it's a pretty even spread all over the US

Does your company support a way for customers to dispose of their dolls once they've run their course? I imagine tossing such a nice product in a dumpster isn't good for brand image.

No, we don't get involved with disposal or recycling of used dolls.

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions, especially responding to responses, which doesn't happen often here.

My question is as follows:

Can you hook a brother up?

My pleasure. We do have a special right now, $1000 off all dolls! That's a hook up of sorts...

Y'all accept kidneys

Only with fava beans

What is the weirdest name you have been called? Such as the next Steve jobs or Christopher Sakezeles?

Leonardo DiVagina. By Howard Stern.

Just like Pablo Puscasso, it's not that weird. Kind of genius.

I'll give you 4/5

hi! first time caller. what is the strangest request you've ever received for a customization?

Full body Sasquatch hair. On a female doll.

What's the best way to clean out a RealDoll's orifices?

They are removable, and easy to clean

I see you are working on mini realdolls, what can you tell me about them? Are they for display only or will they have a degree of 'functionality'?

The small scale dolls will be anatomically correct but are going to be designed to be functional with each other. We plan to make male and female versions.

Not sure if that's the worst or best idea for a centerpiece ever.

We will find out!

mini realdolls

...like... child-sized?

Not child sized. Imagine an adult doll, just hit with a shrink ray. Adult proportions, shape, and look.

Can you please make a real doll who can clean catboxes and fold laundry?

When we do it you'll be the first to know.

In the NY Times doc, you mentioned that you were trying to avoid the 'uncanny valley' when it comes to future robot companions, did you mean this aesthetically (e.g. RealDoll2 vs. BoyToy doll) or the degree in which the AI will interact with the user or both?

I meant both; The current iteration is sort of a combination of the two styles of dolls aesthetically. We are designing the AI to be fun and engaging, more than focusing on weather it can fool you into thinking it's a person.

Do you make curvier models or even specialty dolls for certain fetishes?

We have many different body styles, and make very unique dolls all the time.

Is there a typical type of person who uses a real doll ?

No typical type, they're quite diverse in every sense

What's the biggest hurdle you had to overcome in growing your business?

Cheap Knock off dolls that detract from the artistic integrity we strive to uphold.

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They vary from 60lbs to 90lbs; One person can move them.

Do you ever feel a bit like Dr. Eldon Tyrell?

Sometimes.

Do you have a mullet flowing in the back? Kinda looks like it in the proof picture.

not any more

I hear so much sadness in this response :/

You can hear that? Good hearing.

Do you think an AI RealDoll will ever be able to love us back?

I hope that we can at least simulate that. That's the goal.

Hi Matt! We recently published a textbook where RealDolls were mentioned. Thanks for the awesome skin samples that you sent over! They feel great! I am fascinated by the work your company does, and wish you great luck in continuing with your endeavors! My question - if you could add one dream feature to the dolls, that technology does not yet currently exist for - which feature would you choose and why?

Full body animation! One day!

Do you tell people you meet in real life what you do? What about friends and family?

Yes, and yes. Everyone I know knows what I do, and are very supportive.

So what exactly is your highest-end doll capable of doing?

Anatomically correct positioning, and fully functional. Not much imagination required to figure out the rest...

What shore A hardness is RealDoll? How much experience do you have in doll use for medical simulation? I also am a TDF member

We are below 20 on the shore A; But it's hard to get an accurate reading with the tool when they are as soft as they are. So I guess I'm not shore :) We have made several custom dolls for medical simulation as well for the military.

How relistic did you make the medical ones?

They differed in the sense that they required sensors under the skin for diagnostics etc.

1. What made you come up with this idea?

2. How did you start a profitable business out of that idea?

3. Do you test out your products?

4. Can people request certain features such as skin color and voice?

5. What is the average cost of one of your sex dolls?

It started as a concept for a hyper realistic posable mannequin. The public reaction pushed me into making them anatomically correct and functional. No I don't need to test the dolls, we've worked out all of the major designs. The dolls are fully customizable and each one is truly unique based on client choices. The prices range from about 5K up to 9K

How long until the Stepford Wives movie becomes a reality, and will real doll be part of that?

In terms of the darker tones of that plot, not sure. But robots are coming, and you will be able to be intimate with them.

I started following you guys because of Davecat. Is he one of your best customers?

He is a good friend of mine, and of the doll community.

Any plans for new Wicked dolls?

I haven't heard any plans on their end, but we are always ready!

How many people try to return used dolls?

EDIT: also, shoutout to a fellow Matt!

We don't take returns...

Who would you say is in direct competition to you?

The human female.

Do your office Christmas parties involve making giant orgies with your dolls?

No we only do that on New Years Eve

What have to the idea to start this?

Also what is your opinion on the people who buy these dolls and then treat them like an actual person, even going as far as to marry them?

I originally designed them to be very realistic mannequins. And anyone who finds happiness in my dolls, in whatever fashion, allows me to do what I do, so I appreciate them very much. I don't find such things strange at all.

Are you planning on incorporating AI in the sex robots at any point in the future?

Yes, we are currently putting the finishing touches on our artificial intelligence app, which is part of the Realbotix project. The robotic head will also be available hopefully next year.

I've seen small tidbits implying some pushback from certain groups of people but never anything that shows outright disapproval.

Have you experienced much resistance as your products become more popular?

We are experiencing less and less in terms of resistance or disapproval. I feel society is becoming more and more open minded all the time, about a great many things.

I don't know much about the history of sex dolls but who would imagine such an invention?

All invention comes from necessity

Do you think your technology will help kill off the human race? When I first tried in a VR headset I basically decided when we can "feel" VR, humans will just live in VR and eventually starve to death or something. Do you think your dolls will cause birth rates to drop and human to human relationships numbers to drop?

Sorry if weird question

No, I don't think any of this will come to pass; To me, social media and reality TV are more frightening in the ways they have separated us from those in the same room with us.

What's the worst customer service story floating around your company?

Don't really have one...

What is your best selling Real Doll?

What's the most unusual custom request you are aware of?

The combinations of dolls make it difficult to peg one as a best seller. We did make a blue doll once, and one that had 4 breasts

Are you married, or dating anyone?

Happily married.

Can you order dolls to look like someone you know?

Edit: asking for a friend

We can approximate anyone but exact likenesses require legal permission.

Do you make dolls based on actual people ever by request or if they're celebrities?

We can approximate anyone but exact likenesses require legal permission.

Is there a line, regarding what you won't provide? Fetishes you won't cater to like necrophilia? Animals, or toddlers?

There are multiple lines I won't cross. You covered some here.

How much would you pay an A-List Actress for the rights to make an official RealDoll in her likeness?

Depends on who it is I suppose. However, it seems more people prefer to make a unique doll from the options we have verses a copy of someone in particular.

Is your Research & Development department hiring?

Not at the moment!

Do you personally test out any of the dolls?

no

How do you make the skin feel life-like? I would imagine that's incredibly difficult to do.

Do the dolls have hard bones (like a rib cage), or are they just molded to look like they have a rib cage, but are pliable (which wouldn't happen with a human)?

Finally - Do you make non-human dolls? Like anime girls, or whatnot?

The silicone formulas we use are constantly evolving and yes, quite complicated to continually adjust. The inner skeleton is made with varying layers of firmness to simulate the human body. And yes, we can make all kinds of fantasy based characters- Check out our website at realdoll.com

How many dolls do you personally own / possess and which one is your favourite and why?

I don't have a doll personally. I have multiple dolls that I am quite proud of but can't pick a favorite.

Can I get tree fiddy?

Otherwise, how realistic do you think these will become?

as realistic as we can make them

HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, or Google Cardboard ?

Currently testing on the Oculus