Achieving a convincing level of realism in a companion doll is not a single feature, but a symphony of carefully engineered details working in concert. It’s a “nuts and bolts” approach where dozens of small elements combine to create a lifelike whole that can bypass our brain’s skepticism.
The foundation is the internal skeleton, a multi-jointed metal armature. The quality of these joints determines how naturally the doll can be posed, from the gentle curve of a wrist to the way it sits in a chair. The “flesh” is the next critical layer. High-end manufacturers use platinum-cured silicone with a specific shore hardness (a measure of softness) that mimics the feel of human skin. Some even use dual-layer pours, with a firmer layer underneath and a softer, more yielding layer on top. The details are what sell the illusion. This includes meticulously hand-painted skin with subtle veins and mottling, high-quality acrylic or glass eyes that capture light realistically, and individually punched hairs for eyebrows and eyelashes. Even the weight is a factor, with dolls designed to have a heft similar to a human of their size. Every one of these components is a crucial nut or bolt in the construction of a believable artificial person.