Sure, the military's got plenty of crazy robots in development. But only one of 'em can take phone calls and carry your luggage – all by itself.

The robot on display in the video above is being developed by Darpa, the Pentagon's blue-sky research agency, as part of their Autonomous Robotic Manipulation (ARM) program. Launched in 2010, the initiative aims to come up with robots that can perform highly complex tasks (bomb dismantling, for one) with very little human input.

Okay, so the ARM 'bot isn't exactly ready to replace a bomb squad – but she just might make a pretty good secretary. Only two years into development, the robot – as shown in the video – can perform 18 different tasks, including stapling papers and opening doors, with complete autonomy. How? By using an array of cameras, embedded sensors and ultra-sophisticated software that integrate "vision, force and tactile sensing." In other words, these robots are designed to use senses that are extremely akin to our own – seeing a cup, feeling the shape of a bag – to perform a variety of tasks.

That kind of integration is what's poised to make the ARM robot so damn remarkable. Right now, robots can accomplish some pretty impressive feats – jumping over 24-foot fences, or hauling 400 pounds through the wilderness – but typically they rely on a lot of input from a human operator. The ARM robot, Darpa hopes, will need little more than "high-level instruction" before venturing off to complete a mission.

Next up for the ARM project are more complex, complete tasks. Like opening a bag and finding the hidden gun. Or pouring you a scotch and adding just the right amount of ice.