Google to sell humanoid robot

Robots may become mainstream sooner than you think if Google has its way.

Engadget reports that the tech giant may soon sell commercial robots that can run, climb, and even drive cars. The humanoid robots first appeared at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) robotics challenge in December and were then sold to commercial enterprise.

The S-One robot, designed by Japanese company Schaft — which is owned by Google — could take on complex tasks including climbing ladders and opening doors. The bot breezed through the competition before Schaft pulled it out to become a commercial product.

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Though the S-One was originally designed to function in disaster response, in situations like 9/11 or a nuclear meltdown, commercial use could take its functionality to new levels. Google has not released details about the robot's retail availability yet, but in the meantime, you can watch the S-One in action in the video below. --Meghan DeMaria