YOU might be worried about robots taking over the world.

Now scientists have designed a super-speedy robot which proves there will be no escape if machines really do decide to rise up against us.

3 The scary robot has been likened to a dinosaur or an ostrich

The 'bot is called the Planar Elliptical Runner and can motor along at 10 miles per hour, which is faster than the average marathon runner.

However, if it was scaled up to human size the tiny terror could reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour - quicker than the 27.8 mph achieved by Usain Bolt during the 100 metres sprint at the World Championships in 2009.

Boffins at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition in Florida designed the speedy droid to show how robots could walk and run on two legs - just like humans.

3 Could a robot like this end up chasing humans?

MOST READ IN TECH AND SCIENCE I-SNOOP Look out for this orange dot on your iPhone – someone is listening in CORE BLIMEY Cheapest Apple Watch in YEARS unveiled with fitness app, sleep trackers & more Revealed I-UPDATE How to get the new iPhone update TODAY – it's finally here MOBILE MAKEOVER Your iPhone homescreen will look completely different if you update it now NEXT TOP MODEL Sony opens preorders for the PS5 – here's where you can buy the console HEAR US OUT Amazing Apple Beats by Dre headphone deal slashes price to just £59

"We believe that the lessons learned from this robot can be applied to more practical running robots to make them more efficient and natural looking,” Jerry Pratt, a senior research scientist told MIT Technology Review.

“Running will be eventually useful for any application that you want to do quickly and where wheels can't work well.”

Let's hope one of these applications doesn't involve chasing human victims.

The robotics firm Boston Dynamics recently unleashed a "nightmare-inducing" jumping robot fitted with wheels and legs.