Edinburgh University experts and telecoms firm Huawei have joined forces to develop artificially intelligent (AI) robots for the next generation of mobile phones.

They signed a research agreement at the 2017 Global Mobile Forum to investigate the potential for AI robotics systems to operate over next generation 5G wireless networks.

Researchers at Huawei's Wireless X Labs and Edinburgh University's Bayes Centre will investigate how AI systems can adapt wireless 5G networks to provide optimum wireless support for robotics and systems.

Areas of initial focus in the collaboration will include healthcare robotics and mobile video.

The research project hopes to provide new insights into how these systems will use AI to collaborate with mobile broadband networks.

Professor Charlie Jeffery, senior vice-principal, said: "We are thrilled to have deepened our relationship with Huawei to researching 5G within AI applications.

"Our ambition is to utilise the knowledge of our world-leading experts to fully understand the interaction of AI and robotics systems with mobile networks.

"This new research agreement gives our team the opportunity to apply their 5G networking expertise into solving real-world problems - helping to transform industries including healthcare and emergency services."