Google has unveiled its "Karate Kid" robot inspired by the fighting moves in the 1980s hit movie, "The Karate Kid".

A video shows the humanoid robot mastering karate moves such as the famous "flying crane kick" shown in the movie. In this move, the robot balanced itself on one foot atop a stack of cinderblocks. It raised its other knee to its metallic chest while lifting its robotic arms, making it look like a flying crane about to pounce.

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The robot is called the "Atlas" and was built by Boston Dynamics. Boston Dynamics, which was recently bought by Google, is the company that also made Big Dog, a robot that runs as fast as a cheetah.

The YouTube video lasted for around a minute and a half. Atlas proved it could execute a perfect crane kick, as well as other karate "kata" from the movie as it stood atop the cinderblocks.

The robot's abilities have reopened the debate on whether robots should be likened to humans that are held upright by muscles and their brains.

The inventors of Atlas, however, believe robots can only walk and move like humans if the intelligence of humans can be replicated. Atlas can also walk, climb stairs and avoid obstacles but all these are programmed in a controlled algorithm to make it possible.

Atlas has won a lot of awards in different robotics competitions. It won second place for cutting a hole through a wall; took second place again by proving it can accomplish many tasks related to disasters.

TagsKarate Kid, Atlas, crane, Boston Dynamics, stack of blocks, Top