The robotic "mannequin" Porton Man, which can run, sit and generally imitate the movements of a soldier, was unveiled by the British Ministry of Defense, according to a BBC report.
The robot, worth £1.1m, was developed using Formula 1 technology and is intended for testing protective suits and equipment.
"Porton Man" has over 100 sensors throughout his body to record data in tests and, according to his creators, will significantly assist in the development and evolution of new generation protective equipment.
The robot was built for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), where protective suits against chemical agents are tested on behalf of the armed forces.
Porton Man can raise its arms to mimic signals and gestures used by soldiers, as well as walk and kneel. It is believed that its use will result in the development of new, lighter uniforms and equipment for the army.
The robot was built by i-bodi, a company that specializes in robotics and animatronics for television and film. According to the company's CEO, Jez Gibson-Harris, for the purposes of the "mannequin" - weighing just 14 kilograms - data was collected from 2,500 soldiers and techniques similar to those seen in Formula 1 were used.
