I took control of NASA’s Valkyrie robot and it blew my mind

I am standing before one of the most advanced robots in the world and am awestruck and disoriented by its humanoid form. Part Transformer, part Star Wars stormtrooper and with hands that look like they can crush beer cans, at 1.8 metres tall and weighing 120 kilograms, NASA’s Valkyrie robot is an intimidating figure.

But it is the face that most transfixes me. Where the eyes, mouth and nose should be is a cavity filled with an array of whirring and flashing sensors, including advanced lidar detectors…