VIDEO: A QUICK LOOK AT THE JAPANESE ROBOT SUMO-WRESTLERS

Seriously, you have to watch the video to see just how fast these little robots go.

If you haven't seen robot sumo wrestling before, then you are in for a treat. Trust me. Most of the robot versions of humans can get a little boring, but as this video compilation shows, the mechanical take on Japan's national sport is very fast and very furious.

The engineering behind these robots is concentrating on the qualities that robot excel at: namely lightning-fast decision-making and insane turns of speed. The main thing to know about robot sumo wrestling is that once a match starts, humans are out of the loop. Each individual robot acts entirely autonomously, based on certain pre-programmed behaviours and, although there are a few rules to observe, the main restraints are simply in size and weight. Within these limits, the bots can try a number of different tactics to try and knock their opponent out of the ring.

According to this online guide, there are a number of factors to consider when making a sumo bot. Grip is the most important quality and good tyres are a must, and making the robot dark or shiny also helps as it confuses the opponent's sensors. The responsive sensors – which are positioned on the underside of the bots and notice when it crosses from the dark centre ring to the white, exterior border – are key to not driving off the edge by accident.

Have a look at the video below to see these sumo wrestling-bots in action, and learn more about the game too.