Photos: 'Hero' bot hunts criminals

The robot, seen showing off its agility here, can also be fitted with heartbeat detectors as well as sensors to identify chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials being smuggled into the UK.

Richard Williams, civil autonomous systems director at BAE Systems, said in a statement: "Some people will use any means to get past immigration checks, and catching them can be extremely hazardous.

"It's a backbreaking, dirty and often dangerous job to look under every truck and with 10,000 of these vehicles each week boarding ferries, it is physically impossible UK Border Agency staff to personally check them all."

BAE Systems says it has high hopes for the potential of similar autonomous systems in the civilian market.

Hero bot is part of a range of technologies used to protect UK and EU borders, including the e-Borders scheme that relies on biometric checks to screen travellers crossing country borders.

Photo credit: BAE Systems