A small team of Sydney scientists has secured a $57 million contract to supply robots to the US Marine Corps.
The Terminator-style technology uses artificial intelligence and could be the next big thing in military training.
"People train on static pop up targets or targets that move predictably on rails," Alex Brooks from Marathon Robotics, based in Redfern, told Nine News.
"This can move anywhere throughout the range. It can move unpredictably. It can surprise people. It adds a dynamic element to training. It makes people think in different ways."
Dr Brooks is one of three scientists who developed the high-tech "Rover" robots, which will be used by US Marines at their base in Orlando, Florida.
The robots can be programmed to move at up to 14km/h, talk to each other and scatter if one of them is taken out by sniper fire.
If the trial is successful, the technology will be used by the US Defense Department as a live fire training platform.
"We hope we can deliver hundreds of these robots to the US," Dr Brooks said.
The NSW Government helped Marathon Robotics set up their laboratory and has backed trade missions to Europe and the Middle East.
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