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It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but Google has patented the technology to create a robot 'army'.

The web search giant said it wants to be able to link 'a plurality of robotic devices' together, allowing users to control them remotely via the web.

Technology experts predict that people will eventually be able to use Google's Android operating system, to command a team of robots to perform tasks from anywhere in the world.

The web search giant's patent (pictured) said it wants to be able to link 'a plurality of robotic devices' together allowing users to control them remotely. Experts predict people will eventually be able to use Google's Android system, to command a team of robots to perform tasks from anywhere in the world

In theory, Google could use the technology for services that would make people's lives easier - for example, by allowing them to command robots to do the housework or cook their dinner whilst they are out of the house.

However, it could also use the so-called army of robots for military operations, or to perform the sorts of jobs many people rely on for employment.

Skeptics called to mind I, Robot, the dystopian film starring Will Smith in which robots that were designed to serve humans end up taking over the world.

Google's patent said: 'The plurality of robotic devices of the system may be configured to receive information from the computing component via the network associated with instructions for performing one or more tasks.'

The patent does not specify how many robots the user would control, but they would be able to allocate the robots to different tasks depending on their abilities.

It is the latest in a series of developments Google has made in robotics.

Last month, the web search company protected technology which will allow robots to change their personality.

The technology would allow Google to create a family robot, for example, which would behave differently towards each family member.

Not everyone is comfortable with these developments, of course.

In theory, Google's technology could let users command robots to do the housework, but it could also use the so-called army of robots for military operations. Skeptics called to mind I, Robot (pictured), the dystopian film starring Will Smith in which robots that were designed to serve humans end up taking over the world

Google's patent (illustrated) said: 'The plurality of robotic devices of the system may be configured to receive information from the computing component via the network associated with instructions for performing one or more tasks.' The patent does not specify how many robots the user would control

Many leading scientific figures, including the academic Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla cars, have warned that robots will spell the end of the human race.

Earlier this year, Mr Musk said the rise of artificial intelligence was our 'biggest existential threat', and said that the companies creating many of these robots were 'summoning the demon'.

However, Google boss Eric Schmidt has claimed that predictions of a robot uprising are 'misguided'.