With a glowing chest sphere straight out of Iron Man and an overall 'humanoid' appearance (albeit a human decked out in high-tech armour), NASA's Valkyrie certainly has the superhero looks. But it could potentially serve some serious lifesaving functions too, as well as possibly taking part in future space exploration.
The 6 ft 2" robot has been designed as part of a DARPA Robotics Challenge, in which the designer's creations are tested for their disaster relief capabilities in a series of trials. Although the contest hasn't taken place yet, Valkyrie is looking well-equipped for the task. Some of its features include easily replaceable components, 'stomach SONAR' and numerous cameras (including a pair in the knees).
It's designed so it can be prepared for action quickly and easily. It is self contained, which means the massive but easily changeable battery is stored in the robot's backpack, and the robot can operate without the need for extra wires or power supplies. It's also extremely strong and agile. Such design choices could make it particularly suitable for use in challenging or dangerous environments. The project's team leader Nicolaus Radford even suggests it could be the sort of technology sent to Mars before a manned mission to the planet.
Check out the IEEE Spectrum video below for more on the Valkyrie robot:
Image: YouTube / NASA / IEEE Spectrum