Scientists have made robots that can walk, talk and run. Now, a South Korean professor is poised to give robots the ability to "fall in love and reproduce".

Kim Jong-Hwan, director of ITRC (Intelligent Robot Research Centre), has developed a series of artificial chromosomes that he claims will allow robots to feel lusty. It could eventually lead to them reproducing, reported news portal Free Internet Press.

The development that redefines "cyber sex" in a way is a software that will be installed in a robot within the next three months. It will give machines the ability to feel, reason and desire, Jong-Hwan said.

"We must consider this as the origin of an artificial species. Until now, most researchers in this field have focused only on the functionality of the machines but we think in terms of the essence of the creatures," said Jong-Hwan, a leading authority on technology and ethics of robotics.

According to him, the "essence" is a computer code modelled on the human DNA equivalent to a single strand of genetic code rather than the complex double helix of a real chromosome.

In the mid-1990s, Jong-Hwan had launched the robot football world cup, which has since then become one of the most popular means for robotics researchers to measure their progress against competitors from around the world.

"Robots will have their own personalities and emotions, and as films like 'I Robot' warn, that could be very dangerous for humanity. If we can provide a robot with good, soft chromosomes, they may not be such a threat," Jong-Hwan said.

Indo-Asian News Service