Chinese researchers have developed a wearable human-robot hybrid device that could transform soldiers into mighty “centaurs”, enabling them to push beyond their physical limits while walking and hauling loads in brutal environments.

The People’s Liberation Army has already rolled out exoskeleton robot systems to boost soldiers’ stamina and mobility. But this new device, dubbed the “centaur robot”, promises to give an even greater extra push.

The system, developed by a group at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Shenzhen, consists of two independent robotic legs and a robotic torso, attached to the user via an elastic interface so that the human and machine together form a four-legged human-centaur.

Tests showed that when carrying a 20kg (44lbs) load, wearing the robot cut the user’s net metabolic cost by 35 per cent and reduced foot pressure by 52 per cent.

Equipped with autonomous path-planning and the human-robot interface, the cyborg showed impressive agility and terrain adaptability, moving smoothly over stairs, slopes and rough outdoor ground.

But its rather odd appearance and counter-intuitive design have also prompted debate online, with some dismissing the idea that even a handcart seems more useful than this.