Whist we wait for any update about the duel between the American MegaBots and the Japanese Kuratas, the South Koreans have been working silently working in the background with an even better mech that takes giant robot-building to the next level. Hankook Mirae Technology, working with Hollywood FX designer Vitaly Bulgarov, have unveiled a 13-foot, human-piloted Mechbot that can move on its own two feet.

If you have been dreaming for a real wold Gundam robot, this is the nearest that it can get you given existing technologies. The ability of the Hankook Mirae Technology's mechbot to walk on its own feet gives it distinct advantages over the wheeled Kuratas, and the tracked MegaBots just like how humans were able to develop an advantage over the rest of the animal kingdom when they learned how to walk and run on their two feet as they evolved over millions of years.

Looking at the robot, it reminds us more of the robots used in the movie “Avatar”, and it was designed by Bulgarov who was involved in “Transformers,” “Terminator,” and “Robocop.” Hankook Mirae has been working on the robot since 2014, spending over US$200 million to bring it to a point that it can now take baby steps.

The Kuratas uses an airsoft mini-gun and coke bottle rockets as weapons while the MegaBots uses paintball. The Korean robot does not have any weapon, but is able to flex its arms in better ways that it can be used to pummel both the Japanese and American robots and if custom made weapons can be made for it, can pick up different types, from clubs to flamethrowers.

For those expecting this to be used for some giant robot wars, they are in for a disappointment. The robot is a test bed for emerging mech applications and it is seen more usefulness for logistics and search-and-rescue. It can be used to reach areas where unprotected humans cannot such as those affected nuclear radiation like the area in Fukushima Japan.

All photos here are from Vitaly Bulgarov's website.