A leading robot ethicist has warned that 'sexbots' could seriously damage human relationships.

Experts hope to use artificial intelligence to create lifelike machines that can talk and have sex like a human.

However, Dr Kathleen Richardson told the BBC the technology is 'unnecessary and undesirable'.

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A robot ethicist has warned that AI sex dolls could 'contribute to detrimental relationships between men and women, adults and children, men and men and women and women.'

'Sex robots seem to be a growing focus in the robotics industry and the models that they draw on - how they will look, what roles they would play - are very disturbing indeed,' she told the BBC.

She believes that they reinforce traditional stereotypes of women and the view that a relationship need be nothing more than physical.

'We think that the creation of such robots will contribute to detrimental relationships between men and women, adults and children, men and men and women and women,' she said.

Dr Richardson, a robot ethicist at De Montfort University in Leicester, wants to raise awareness of the issue and persuade those developing sex robots to rethink how their technology is used.

Previously experts have warned that human relationships with robots are set to become commonplace.

A sex scene between a man and a robot in Channel 4 thriller Humans may have shocked audiences, but sex between humans and machines may soon become the norm.

As humans spend more time in virtual realities - including online gaming and social media - intimate relationships with androids might even improve our mental health, according to academic Dr Helen Driscoll, a sex psychologist.

NO SEX FOR PEPPER! ROBOT'S JAPANESE MAKERS OUTLAW PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIPS Within a minute of going on sale last month, the first 1,000 Pepper robots sold out in Japan. The robot that can read human emotions, comes with a set of comprehensive instructions and guidelines, preparing owners for life with him - and warning them not to have sex with the machine. Dig deeply enough, and there are some rules related to ethics and proper conduct, and one in particular has been gaining headlines in Japan - there will be no sex for Pepper. The loosely translated rule states using Pepper for 'acts for the purpose of sexual or indecent behavior, or for the purpose of associating with unacquainted persons of the opposite sex' is prohibited, and would break the ownership contract, according to Rocket News. Japanese journalist Yuri Kageyama spent half a day with the robot ahead of its delivery to its first customers later this month. He said that the most striking feature is the 'absolutely ardent attention it gives you.' It told Mr Kageyama he looked a bit thin and should watch what he eats, before it asked him about his day According to initial reviews, the four-foot (1.2 metre) machine-on-wheels is charming, considerate, offers advice and will 'prattle on and on' making small talk. Japanese journalist Yuri Kageyama spent half a day with the robot ahead of its delivery to its first customers later this month. He said that the most striking feature is the 'absolutely ardent attention [Pepper] gives you.' From telling Mr Kageyama he looked a bit thin and should watch what he eats to reciting a series of quiz questions, the 198,000 yen (£1,107 or $1,600) Pepper was also inquisitive and asked him about his day. 'I'm Japanese and so I'm a sucker for cute things, like manga, quirky figurines and mascot characters,' explained Mr Kageyama. 'And Pepper delivers cuteness like you've never seen.' 'This is not some slapped together toy of a robot. Advertisement

And our physical relationships will come to be seen as primitive in the near future as humanity embraces machines as partners.

Sex mannequins that you can order online already exist, and rapid advances in technology will enable them to 'come to life', according to Dr Driscoll in a blog post for the Huffington Post.

Robophilia - the word for a sexual attraction to robots - seems like an alien concept to us now, but could become the norm as our attitudes catch up to the technology.

Virtual affairs could also present a problem in the future, with some partners seeing sex with a machine as infidelity, according to Dr Driscoll. Pictured is the android Anita from Channel 4 drama Humans, who at one point is used as a sex bot by a married man, causing problems in the marriage

'As virtual reality becomes more realistic and immersive and is able to mimic and even improve on the experience of sex with a human partner, it is conceivable that some will choose this in preference to sex with a less than perfect human being,' said Dr Driscoll.

In addition to having physical relationships with machines, advances in artificial intelligence could enable machines or even computer programs to become realistic enough to fall in love with.

This was explored in the 2013 film Her, which saw Joaquin Phoenix's character fall in love with a Siri-like operating system.

'This may seem shocking and unusual now, but we should not automatically assume that virtual relationships have less value than real relationships,' wrote Dr Driscoll.

In addition to having physical relationships with machines, advances in artificial intelligence could enable computer programs to become realistic enough to fall in love with. This was explored in the 2013 film Her, which saw Joaquin Phoenix's character (pictured) fall in love with a Siri-like operating system

ARTIFICIAL SEX SURROGATES One therapist recently suggested that robots could be used as 'sex surrogates' for humans to help overcome sexual problems and trauma. The comment was made by Dr Ian Kerner, a sexuality counsellor for Good in Bed, during a Hopes&Fears-hosted roundtable discussion. 'Sex surrogacy, is effectively illegal,' he said. 'As a therapist, I can't really legally recommend a sex surrogate, but there is a place with surrogacy and I wonder if AI could occupy that place. Sex surrogacy, he explained, is a service for people who suffer from problems such as premature ejaculation or have had very limited sexual experience. 'The idea of going to a surrogate might be somebody who [the patient] could effectively have sex with and learn how to relax. 'Sex is in the margins. It's a grey zone. But I could see AI - maybe a limited use but a very important use to occupy that space. ' Advertisement

Dr Driscoll points to people who have lost their partner or who live alone as people who might benefit psychologically from a virtual sexual relationship. 'After all a virtual partner is surely better than no partner at all.'

Virtual affairs could also present a problem in the future, with some partners seeing sex with a machine as similar to sex with another person, according to Dr Driscoll.

The amount of time we spend online - communicating via emails and social media - is already a problem for some people, but our relationships with other humans could soon be conducted entirely online.

As we spend more time in virtual reality and living alone, this will lead to increased mental health problems, according to Dr Driscoll.

The lack of human contact is currently harmful, as humans are social animals and isolation is linked with mental health problems, she said.

Recent studies have shown that young Japanese people are already avoiding sex and intimate relationships, with half of Japanese adults saying they no longer have sex.

And earlier in August, a Chinese 'girlfriend app' called Xiaoice was reported to be keeping thousands of heartbroken people company.

People can add her as a friend on several major Chinese social networking services including Weibo, a Twitter like microblogging service used by 700 million people, and Touchpal.

The future? French artist, César Vonc , c reated a depiction of futuristic 'sex robots' (shown). The bizarre - and creepy - images reveal the 'innards' of androids

This trend may seem like a problematic trend now, but as the technology improves the isolation issues will disappear as it becomes harder to tell the difference between artificial intelligence and machines, according to Dr Driscoll.