Latest Invention: PETMAN - Human-Like Robot Created to Test Chemical Protection Garments

The US military has teamed up with Boston Dynamics, the developer of the BigDog, to create an anthropomorphic robot, the goal of which is to test new chemical protection garments.
Researchers called their robot PETMAN (Protection Ensemble Test Mannequin) and with its help the team will b able to study the effectiveness of new haz-mat suits against chemical agents.
It is worth mentioning that previously researchers made se of such robots, but the machines were always supported mechanically and were unable to make a lot of different motions like the new robot.
PETMAN can balance itself, walk freely, crawl and do a number of movements to test the suits to their limits. In addition, the robot is able to vary its temperature, humidity and sweating, thus imitating human physiology and creating conditions that are closer to reality.
The robot's size, shape and weight are very close to an average human - it weights 180 pounds and is 6ft tall.
At the moment the robot passes through a 13 month design phase. The next step will be building, installing and validating PETMAN. This phase will last approximately 17 months.