Image is for illustrative purpose only

In a report, China’s state-backed news agency GlobalTimes said, Beijing has developed a giant bionic “running” military robot that can perform logistical and intelligence functions.

According to Chinese propaganda mouthpiece GlobalTimes, the bionic military robot, taller than an average human, can “run” up to 10 km carrying a load of up to 160 kg.

The robot look like a yak, thus the Chinese name for it – “mechanical yak”. Electrically powered the robot can walk and run on all four legs in various types of terrains including desert, rocky, and covered in snow.

According to GlobalTimes, the robot has dozens of integrated sensors which allow it to orient itself in its environment.

The robotic yak can move in all directions, such as rotate, run, sprint, jump and move diagonally using 12 sets of modules in its joints.

The robotic yak, unveiled last week, is reportedly not equipped with weapons systems but will these will be integrated in the future suggesting that it has an open software infrastructure architecture.

From the functions of the mechanical yak, it would appear that its purpose is to carry large heavy loads, facilitating the logistics and movements of battle groups and is required to carry out reconnaissance missions.

Incidentally, the mechanical yak is not the only “robotic animal” being built by the PLA. Under development is also a robot dog called Geda, which weighs 32 kg and can carry a load of 40 kg.

Geda can supposedly recognize faces, follow simple voice commands and has been designed to pass through hard-to-reach terrain.