A new video showcasing the abilities of a Pentagon-financed "humanoid" robot is both riveting and terrifying as it jumps off ledges, runs on a treadmill and even shakes off a blow from a wrecking ball.

Dubbed "Atlas," the robot is the brainchild of Boston Dynamics, and is intended to serve in dangerous locations, such as natural and man-made disasters, when it would be risky to send in humans.

  • Scroll down to watch a video demonstating Atlas' skills

Equipped with two vision systems, dexterous hands, and the ability to travel over extremely rough terrain, the 150-kilogram, 1.85-metre tall robot is designed to go anywhere a human could and do many of the same tasks.

"Atlas is a high mobility, humanoid robot designed to negotiate outdoor, rough terrain. Atlas can walk bipedally, leaving the upper limbs free to lift, carry, and manipulate the environment. In extremely challenging terrain, Atlas is strong and co-ordinated enough to climb using hands and feet, to pick its way through congested spaces," says a statement from Boston Dynamics.

"Articulated, Sensate hands will enable Atlas to use tools designed for human use."

The robot was unveiled Thursday by Boston Dynamics in a ceremony intended to show just how far the robot has come.

The company also released a YouTube video where Atlas struts its stuff -- literally.

It is shown taking powerful, confident strides on a treadmill, even adapting instantaneously as a board is placed under one foot. Other clips show Atlas jumping off a ledge, navigating a steep tunnel and effortlessly climbing stairs -- movements made possible through hydraulically-activated joints, powered by an on-board compressor.

"Articulated, sensate hands will enable Atlas to use tools designed for human use. Atlas includes 28 hydraulically-actuated degrees of freedom, two hands, arms, legs, feet and a torso," states the website.

Atlas also features two types of vision -- stereo and laser -- and long, powerful arms, their frames made from aircraft-grade aluminum and titanium. The robot is powered by an off-board, electric power supply, meaning it must be tethered to a flexible cable in order to function.

The U.S. Pentagon's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency oversaw the design and funding of the project. Now, six Atlas robots are being provided to teams at:

  • The Florida Institute of Human & Machine Cognition in Pensacola, Fla.
  • Worcester Polytecnic Institute in Massachusetts
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • TracLabs in Webster, Tex.
  • The Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Virginia Tech

Those teams will take part in a competition next year in Florida where they will put the robot through a number of challenges, including driving a vehicle to crossing a field of rubble, designed to mimic an elaborate rescue mission.

Other teams will enter their own unique robots in the competition.