A robot to help doctors diagnose swine flu at the Security & Safety Trade Expo in Tokyo (AP)

A robot designed to help doctors diagnose swine flu has been unveiled at an exhibition in Japan.

The life-sized humanoid machine, displayed at the Security & Safety Trade Expo (RISCON) in Tokyo, exhibits symptoms of the H1N1 flu virus.

It was developed to help medical workers recognise symptoms of the illness and learn to treat patients.

The robot is coated in a human-like skin. It sweats, moans, cries and convulses, just like a human would when infected with the H1N1 virus.

If it is not treated properly the symptoms gradually get worse and the robot stops breathing.

The robot was one exhibit amongst many others at the show aimed to either help prevent or aid treatment of swine flu.

As of October 11, there were 4,735 swine flu-related deaths reported worldwide to the World Health Organisation (WHO), with around 400,000 confirmed cases of swine flu in the same period.

Vaccination programmes against the virus have been rolled out in Britain for front-line health workers.

The Department of Health said at-risk groups will be given priority in the following order: people aged over six months and under 65 years in current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groups; all pregnant women; household contacts of people with compromised immune systems; and people aged 65 and over in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groups.