German authorities have launched an investigation after a robot allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl inappropriately and made sexual gestures on a street in Cologne. Police have seized the robot and the mobile phones of two young men suspected of controlling it, as investigators try to establish whether its movements were programmed in advance or directed in real time.
The incident raises unusual questions about accountability when robots are used to harass people in public. The suspected owner, aged 16, and his 19-year-old companion have not been charged, but police are investigating possible sexual harassment. Authorities say they are unfamiliar with a case of this kind, making it an unusual challenge for law enforcement.
According to police, the incident happened overnight from Saturday to Sunday near a fast-food restaurant in Cologne. The robot allegedly approached the girl, touched her buttocks and made thrusting movements towards her. The two young men suspected of being involved reportedly filmed the incident, streamed it online, and provided commentary.
Emergency teams responding to the scene later found the robot inside the trunk of a vehicle. Police confiscated the machine and the two suspects’ phones as evidence. The robot, described as around 120 centimetres tall, was dressed in a white tank top, black sweatpants, sunglasses and a gold chain.
Videos circulating online appear to show the robot approaching groups of women, bumping into one person and hugging others. In some footage, one of the men can be heard shouting at the robot and pulling it backwards after it makes sexual gestures.
Police spokesperson Christoph Bermel said investigators were examining whether the movements were preprogrammed or controlled remotely. The distinction could be important in determining how the incident occurred and who was responsible.
The case highlights a growing challenge as robots become more capable of moving and interacting with people in public spaces. When a machine is used to carry out an alleged assault, investigators must establish whether its actions were deliberately directed by a person, triggered by programmed behaviour, or caused by another factor.
The investigation does not establish that the robot acted independently, and authorities have not announced charges against the two suspects. Police are still examining the available evidence.
The incident has also prompted police to warn against making inappropriate comments about the alleged victim or circulating the footage as a joke. Authorities said sharing or mocking such incidents can worsen the impact on those affected.
For the public, the case underscores that using a robot does not remove the need to consider consent, safety and responsibility. Investigators will now work to establish how the machine operated and whether the people accompanying it deliberately controlled its movements. Their findings could help clarify how existing laws apply to incidents involving robots.
Did you think hitting delete on your AI chatbot conversation actually makes it disappear? Georgia Tech researchers just proved that's not entirely true. They have built a forensic tool called ORISA that can dig deleted conversations from your phone and even rebuild them into a working chatbot session you can keep talking to.
How can ORISA bring deleted AI conversations back?
Touchscreen laptops have been around for years. You can get them in all sizes and shapes. Just not from Apple. For years, the Cupertino giant has treated the idea of a touchscreen MacBook the way I treat a meeting that could have been an email: with open contempt. However, Wednesday looks like the day the company could finally change its mind.
The latest Apple invite puts the “Pro and Tell” showcase in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) on October 28, 2026. Instead of a regular live-streamed keynote, it is an invitation-only, hands-on event for a handful of press and creators (similar to what the company did for the MacBook Neo earlier this year).
Two residents of Chicago have filed a lawsuit in the US over claims that robots run by Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics captured their facial and hand measurements without consent, bringing renewed attention to the food delivery robots. The cases raise a troubling question: If a robot delivers food to your door, can it also be gathering sensitive information about you?
According to a report by The Associated Press, the proposed class-action lawsuits were filed in Cook County on Oct. 9 and allege violations of Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act. The complaints claim that the robots’ cameras and LiDAR sensors captured information on customers’ faces and hands as they approached the machines to pick up their orders. Both have denied the allegations.