Though the SlothBot, as it's called, may not be as exciting to watch in action as a robotic cheetah or dog, there is purpose in its slowness.

When it comes to monitoring the gradual but critically important changes happening to the global climate, it pays to sit back, relax and stick around for a while.

That's what the SlothBot is doing as we speak. Suspended by cables in the tree canopy high above the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the hyper-energy-efficient SlothBot is packed with sensors that are taking readings on everything from temperature, humidity, air quality and carbon dioxide levels.