JAPANESE engineers have taken us one step closer to the robot revolution by developing a machine inspired by the movie Aliens. The Dual-Arm Power Amplification Robot gives users superhuman strength and resembles the hydraulic exoskeleton worn by Sigourney Weaver in the climactic scene of the sci-fi classic.

The robot is being developed for disaster relief situations and can lift more than 100kg. However it weighs 230kg – heavy enough to crush the average human without support. Chief engineer Go Shirogauchi told news.com.au his team was currently working on a way to make the arms lighter for standalone use. "The main material used is aluminium alloy," Mr Shirogauchi said.

"Though aluminium itself is a light material compared to iron, in order to make the body lighter we are making some parts of the arms and legs hollow." Mr Shirogauchi said the first design priority was to make sure the operator was safe.