The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) team led by You Bum-jae said the "Mahru" robot can move both upper and lower body parts freely, and automatically stabilize itself while walking on its legs.

The robot is the first South Korean-developed machine that can walk on its legs. The chief researcher said that the robot is programed to follow various human movements through an advanced motion capture system, and designed to cope with any interference or obstacles while moving its hands. The robot can also dance to two pop tunes, requiring the movement of arms and legs.

"Because the robot can be operated via a real-time control network, simultaneous movement control of these robots can be carried out," You said.

The KIST researcher, in addition, said a variant Mahru-M robot has been developed that posses sensors in its head that can differentiate faces and objects and deliver things to humans on request. This robot uses a tricycle wheel system to move about.