The DARPA Cheetah has sets a new speed record for legged robots, galloping at 18 miles per hour (mph) -- 5mph faster than the previous record holder.
Developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the US, the Cheetah is a new military prototype in the Maximum Mobility and Manipulation (M3) program. The hope is that it will one day be used in explosive-ordinance-disposal missions.
The robot increases its stride and running speed by flexing and un-flexing its back on each step.
The current Cheetah model requires a boom-like device to keep it running on the treadmill, but the program hopes to have a free-running version later in the year.
"If the current limitations on mobility and manipulation capabilities of robots can be overcome, robots could much more effectively assist warfighters across a greater range of missions," the DARPA website explains.
You can see it hitting its top speed in the video below:
You can find out more about the Cheetah at the DARPA website.
