Going toe-to-toe with a robot in the boxing ring may still be in the realm of science fiction. But at the Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC) in Pensacola, Florida, researchers say it's the perfect way to test their humanoid robot, Nadia.

IHMC Robotics Lab, in collaboration with Boardwalk Robotics, recently unveiled the robot's prowess by showcasing Nadia engaging in a sparring session with a human opponent.

"We recently installed some new arms on our humanoid robot, Nadia," research scientist Robert Griffin told Reuters, "and thought to ourselves what better way to test them then with robot boxing."

Technically, Nadia was being teleoperated by a fellow scientist, guided by virtual reality (VR) control -- demonstrating the potential for human-controlled robot avatars.

Griffin said robots like Nadia could be used to navigate indoor spaces, mirroring human adaptability to challenges like stairs, ladders, and debris.

"What we're really looking towards is making robots who can start doing some of the dangerous tasks that we currently rely on people to do: things like bomb disposal, nuclear cleanup, disaster response," he said.

"Humanoid robots, though, have this amazing potential to function as these kind of human-robot avatars."

Nadia -- named after famed Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci -- is designed to have a high power-to-weight ratio and extensive range of motion through the use of innovative mechanisms and composite materials.

And, while robo-boxing is not the researchers' ultimate aim, Griffin added that Nadia's punch could be a lot more powerful.

"While these new arms are really strong, we haven't actually fully measured how strong they are.... we haven't actually come close to pushing the limits on its strength." —Report from Reuters