ATRIAS, a bipedal robot with springs in its legs is currently training to become the world's fastest runner and walker. But this isn't all.

It has a Twitter handle and tweets its own progress to millions of fans worldwide every day.

ATRIAS or Assume The Robot Is A Sphere is a bipedal robot developed by Dynamic Robotics Laboratory. Based at Oregon State University, Dynamic Robotics aims to make ATRIAS the fastest bipedal robot in the world.

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"When this robot gets up to speed for walking, not even running yet, it will be the fastest bipedal robot in the world," said Jonathan Hurst, an associate professor and robotic expert in the OSU College of Engineering.

According to scientists, the Atrias robot was modeled after birds that are arguably very fast runners and very agile on their two legs. The robot has a four-bar carbon-fiber leg mechanism that is lightweight.

These legs are mounted on series-elastic fiberglass springs that serve as suspension, as well as mechanical storage for energy.

"ATRIAS is designed to move like a simple 'spring-mass' model, a theoretical model which is comparable to a pogo stick. This springy model can both walk and run with remarkable energy economy and in a fashion highly similar to humans and other animals. By building ATRIAS like this model, we are targeting similar performance," said the Dynamic Robotics Laboratory website.

During training, ATRIAS was able to kick, throw punches and dodge balls without losing its balance.

Funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Human Frontier Science Program, Atrias is made to access disaster areas where humans can't go for search and rescue missions.

Its technology is also projected to be used in prosthetic limbs to give patients very natural movements.

TagsATRIAS Becomes the World's Fastest Bipedal Robot, ATRIAS, Bipedal robot, world’s fastest runner and walker, DARPA, Robots