A video has been posted showing a sword challenge between a one-armed robot and Japanese master swordsman Isao Machii.

The industrial robot is placed beside the legendary swordsman. The robot then has a sword attached to the end of its mechanical arm.

The two then compete in various challenges, involving slicing through flowers, fruit and pea pods placed in front of them to the most accurate precision.

The final challenge features rapidly cutting into practice targets a thousand times.

A representative of the Japanese mechatronics company Yaskawa, who produced the robot, said it was the first time an industrial robot competed with a swordsman in a iaijutsu challenge, one of Japan's most iconic combative sword-drawing arts.

The representative said that they invited Machii to take part in the project to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the company that produces the highest amount of industrial robots in the world.

The video became a viral hit on the web, reaching over two million views in barely a week.

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