Robocop hits the streets

Taser-equipped robots to enforce the law

American robotics manufacturer iRobot has announced a partnership with non-lethal weapons manufacturer Taser to build robots for police forces around the world.

The two companies have just completed work on a prototype robot which is small enough to be carried in a backpack and comes with a X26 Taser capable of firing 50,000 volts into suspects 15ft away.

Former US Navy vice admiral Joe Dyer, president of iRobot Government & Industrial Robots, said: "The addition of Taser technologies onto iRobot platforms will provide a critical tool for Swat, law enforcement and military to handle a variety of dangerous scenarios."

The US Army is now using hundreds of these types of robots in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the new machine will be aimed at domestic police use.

The robot could be used remotely inside buildings and could become more automated in the future.