Google's Atlas robot taught to do household chores

One of the most advanced and expensive robots in existence has been taught how to do housework.

Researchers at Florida's Institute for Human and Machine Cognition have programmed an Atlas android to operate a vacuum cleaner and pick up rubbish.

The machine - which cost several million dollars - was built by Google's Boston Dynamics division, and is designed to let independent roboticists try out their code.

IHMC previously used the machine to enter the Pentagon's Darpa Robotics Challenge, which pitted teams from across the globe against each other to develop droids capable of helping in natural disasters.