The world of robotics is advancing very rapidly, with some incredible products being pushed out almost every day. Some of the most attention grabbing include humanoid robots that are shown to be doing things like household chores, difficult work, and more.

So, when Kawasaki Heavy Industries came out with a concept video for a robotic ‘horse’ that people could actually ride, it is not surprising that it went viral quickly.

This horse-robot, which they are calling Corleo, operates on a 150cc hydrogen engine and will be powerful enough for adults to ride like a horse while it walks, runs, and jumps. This wouldn’t just be a fun toy for the rich, but it apparently will have many practical applications.

In the video, it is shown jumping across wide gaps, running through icy mountains, and going into other places where people might have difficulty. The implication is that it could be used for things like search and rescue operations or just going into places where most wheeled vehicles have more trouble.

Of course, it does look like a lot of fun as well.

The one problem is that the video is CGI and most people don’t expect it to ever make it to market. They were showing off the full-scale model at the Osaka Kansai Expo and unlike in the video, all it could really do was stand up, stretch out its legs, and move around a little bit. It didn’t even have a human riding it.

Not surprisingly, the massive difference between the video and the current video of the ‘horse’ drew a lot of laughs from people online. It is easy, after all, to create a CGI video showing how something might work in a perfect world, but a lot harder to actually bring it to life.

Even if this horse never makes it to market, however, it is still good to see companies working on these types of innovative options. Pushing the envelope is how they are able to create new technologies that can be used for other projects as well.

To see the impressive (even if it isn’t real) video from Kawasaki Heavy Industries, hit play below:

Now, fake or not, that video is really cool and may be what inspires future engineers to invent the next generation of robots that will be able to perform world-changing actions. Personally, I love it when companies push the envelope and set the bar high in robotics.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about a quantum computer simulation that has “reversed time” and physics may never be the same.