Cologne Police Probe Alleged Robot Sexual Harassment

German police are investigating a 16-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man after a red-and-gold, roughly 1.2-meter humanoid robot allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl’s buttocks and made thrusting motions outside a fast-food restaurant in Cologne. The girl reportedly moved away, and the encounter was filmed and livestreamed by the robot’s suspected 16-year-old owner and his companion. Officers found the robot in a car trunk and seized it along with the suspects’ phones. Investigators are examining whether the robot was remotely controlled, preprogrammed or operating autonomously; the two men are suspects, and no charges have been reported. The case has raised questions about responsibility and safety as robots increasingly operate around people.