New Delhi: A humanoid robot has been seized by police in Germany after it allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl inappropriately from behind.
An investigation has now been opened into the incident, which took place on 10 October in the western city of Cologne. The robot was being operated by two teenagers, when it touched the girl’s buttocks and repeatedly made thrusting movements toward her, according to CBS News.
Following this, the girl screamed and moved away from the robot.
According to a statement released by the Cologne Police on Facebook, the 120cm-tall robot approached the girl when she was spending time with her friends in front of a fast-food outlet near the city centre.
Cologne Police spokesperson Christoph Bermel stated that the two teenage boys have not been formally charged with any crime but are being treated as suspects. The two are said to have livestreamed the incident on social media, and commented on it.
Police are also looking into whether the robot’s movements were preprogrammed or controlled remotely in real time.
Also read: AI models could soon replicate themselves across smart TVs, fridges, Anthropic warns
‘New territory for us’
After the incident came to light, Cologne Police seized the robot on 13 October. The case marks an unusual challenge for local authorities, as they investigate an incident involving a robot for the first time.
“We have not been aware of this phenomenon so far,” Bermel told the Associated Press, saying it was “new territory for us.”
In several photos and videos circulating on social media, the red-and-gold robot is seen with an appearance resembling Iron Man. It is also wearing a gold-coloured chain, white vest, black trousers, and glasses.
Emergency services were alerted following the incident. And soon, police located the teenage boy and a man who is also under investigation, about a block away from the scene. The robot was found in the back of a car, where the boy had placed it, police said.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)