Researchers developed a bio-hybrid robot with muscle and artificial skeleton.

Footage shows the two-legged robot that contained living musscle tissues navigate underwater when stimulated with electricity at the University of Tokyo.

The bot could walk and make intricate movements underwater, which designers said could help in search and rescue operations.

Its legs had lab-grown skeletal muscle tissue that allowed it to do silent movements and touch gently unlike machines.

The skeleton was lightweight, had flexible body, acrylic resin legs, and 3D printed feet so it was agile and could adapt in different environments.

Its speed is at 5.4 millimetres per minute and had balancing forces like muscle contractile force, flexible body restorative force, gravity, and buoyancy which enabled the robot to navigate forward and execute turning movements.

The research team said they envision refining the robot for land-based movements and plans to fevelop methods for remote muscle stimulation with thicker muscles.