A new robot that can outrun the fastest man on Earth and a Terminator-type android that will work alongside troops is being developed for the US Army.

But despite the multi-million dollar contracts awarded by the Department of Defense, army officials still don’t know exactly what the robots will be used for, according to the company’s boss.

He added: ‘They’re most focused on developing the technology and seeing what uses they can be applied to.’

The four-legged Cheetah will have a flexible spine and articulated head, and, when built, it will be added to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s impressive robot arsenal. It will be able to sprint, take sharp corners, zigzag and be precise enough to stop on a dime. The company hopes to have a prototype built in 20 months which will hit between 20 and 30mph.

The Atlas robot, which looks not too dissimilar to the androids in Terminator, will be a force to reckon with, the company hopes. It has a body, two arms and two legs but no head and will be able to walk over rough terrain, fit through tight gaps and crawl on its hands and knees if needed.