Want this robot? First you must promise not to have SEX with it

Emotional robotic companion Pepper cannot be used for sexual activity, its creators have claimed

PEPPER is an advanced robotic companion that can offer emotional advice and make small talk with its owner. But just don't expect to have sex with it, its creators have warned buyers.

 

One thousand people pre-ordered Pepper – the emotional robotic companion – within the first minute of it going on sale in Japan.

The £1,300 android also comes with a £250-a-month rent cost attached too.

We are entering a completely new territory of ethics and legal issues. Some of us will fall in love and have sex with robots

Professor Adrian David Cheok

The advanced robot is able to read emotions and make small talk with its owners.

It's designed to live alongside people and micmic behaviour including empathy and love.

But its creators have included a cause in the ownership contract which prohibits using the advanced companion for "the purpose of sexual or indecent behaviour."

SoftBank, the creators of the robot companion, have urged its customers "not to develop any sexy, obscene, or violent apps or actions for Pepper."

 

The warning comes after computer hackers developed a way to reprogram the touchscreen hanging from Pepper's neck to display footage of breasts.

Tapping the touchscreen would cause the companion robot to moan and move its hips.

The clause in the Pepper buyer's contract now stipulates that the emotional robot must not be used "for sexual activity and actions for the purpose of indecent acts, or acts for the purpose of meeting and dating and making acquaintance of the opposite sex."

The news comes after a campaign was launched to try and ban the development of ultra-realistic sex robots.

 

Professor Adrian David Cheok, a roboticist from the London City University, said: "Soon there will realistic humanoid robots with AI, artificial intelligence.

"Some of us will fall in love and have sex with robots.

"We are entering a completely new territory of ethics and legal issues. We haven't worked out the ethics yet for robots."

Professor Cheok believes the time has come to decided whether or not robots have rights.

He added: "For example - does sex with a robot, when you are married, mean you are cheating?"

Meanwhile, Dr Helen Driscoll – a leading on authority on the psychology of sex and relationships – believes sexual activity with robots will become the norm within 50 years.

"Sex Tech is already advancing at a pace and in 50 years' time physical relationships will seem very primitive," she said.

The advanced robot companion costs £1,300 and comes with a £250-a-month

Customers are urged "not to develop any sexy, obscene, or violent apps or actions for Pepper"

A man relaxes on the sofa with Roxxxy, the "the world's first sex robot," according to its creators

A number of companies are already hard at work developing advanced sex robots.

US technology firm True Companion believes it will be the first to market with Roxxxy – "the world's first sex robot" – later this year.

True Companion CEO Douglas Hines sees a real need for advanced robotic companions like Roxxxy.

"We are not supplanting the wife or trying to replace a girlfriend," he reassured. 

 

"This is a solution for people who are between relationships or someone who has lost a spouse."

"People can find happiness and fulfilment other than via human interaction."

The US firm hopes Roxxxy will eventually be able to learn on her own, and begin to pick-up on her owner's likes and dislikes.

 

However for now the humanoid robot has to be manually updated using a laptop – and a cable plugged into her back.

"The physical act of sex will only be a small part of the time you spend with a sex robot - the majority of time will be spent socialising and interacting," Roxxxy's creator believes.

Roxxxy has already had thousands of pre-orders. Each unit retails for a staggering $7,000, some £4,530.