Japanese companies on Thursday unveiled a security robot that can be operated remotely by cellphone and launch a net to capture an intruder.

The prototype T-34, jointly developed by robot developer tmsuk Co. Ltd. and security company Alacom Co. Ltd., looks like a small wheeled vehicle and is loaded with sensors that detect anything untoward in an office building.

It can move at a maximum speed of 10 kilometres (six miles) per hour under the command of a person who sees real-time images of where the robot is on the screen of his cellphone.

"Security sensors often set off false alarms but examining the location with the robot will lead to more efficient operations," the companies said in a joint statement.