Israelis show off robot soldier

A new robot soldier capable of carrying 300kg of equipment and navigating autonomously has been shown off before deployment with the Israeli army.

The Guardium four-wheeled robot can be controlled by a soldier or can navigate autonomously through a pre-mapped patrol route.

It carries a camera, thermal imaging equipment and lethal hardware such as machine guns and grenade launchers.

"Any kid who grew up with a PlayStation will be able to come in here and learn this in seconds," Erez Peled, general manager of G-Nius Unmanned Ground Systems, the company that developed the Guardium, told Associated Press.

"Representatives of armies with troops who are taking high casualties in asymmetric warfare, from threats like roadside bombs, get excited about this product."

The device is fitted with 360-degree cameras as standard and, if it spots anything determined to be a threat, can send an alert to the operator. It is capable of 80kmph and carries light armour to protect against small arms fire.

The base spec unit costs $600,000 but the cost can rise into the millions depending on extras.