South Korean forces have installed a team of robots along the border with North Korea.

The machine-gun wielding robots, built by a subsidiary of Samsung, have heat and motion detectors to identify potential targets more than 2 miles away.

The SGR-1 has a 5.5mm machine gun and a 40mm grenade launcher - although needs a human operator to give it the go ahead to fire.

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The sentry robot in action in Cheonan, 92 kms south of Seoul. The weapons-grade robot can detect, raise the alarm and provide suppressive fire.

HOW IT WORKS The machine-gun wielding robots, built by Samsung, have heat and motion detectors to identify potential targets more than 2 miles away. In addition, the SGR-1 wields a 5.5mm machine gun - although needs a human operator to give it the go ahead to fire. Each unit costs $200,000. Advertisement

The system was first trialled in 2006.

'Human soldiers can easily fall asleep or allow for the depreciation of their concentration over time,' Samsung Techwin spokesman Huh Kwang-hak said at the time.

'But these robots have automatic surveillance, which doesn't leave room for anything resembling human laziness.

'They also won't have any fear (of) enemy attackers on the front lines.'

'The SGR-1 can and will prevent wars.'

The robots work side-by-side with soldiers in the Demilitarised Zone (referred to as the 'DMZ'), the 160 mile long, 2.5-mile wide strip of land separating South Korea from North Korea.

It is believed each unit costs $200,000 - although it has not been revealed how many are in use.

When it detects a potential threat, it notifies the command centre.

The operator can then use the robot's video and audio devices to communicate remotely before deciding to open fire.

An engineer briefs military officials on a weapons-grade sentry robot during its unveiling in Cheonan. It is believed each unit costs $200,000 - although it has not been revealed how many are in use.

The machine-gun wielding robots, built by Samsung, have heat and motion detectors to identify potential targets more than 2 miles away.

'The SGR-1 is essentially a protection technology which will serve and protect our human soldiers against enemy attackers in their dispatched danger zones,' said Kwang-hak.