Robotics News from Japan

"QUANTUM SHOT" #67

1. Giant robot takes care of cars

This blog tracks the news about robotics advances in Japan. One company definitely to watch for is TMSUK, which has quite an impressive line-up of robots for various applications, with some even in use on campuses throughout Japan. The biggest of the bunch is T-52 model:

Is this robot on a mission to seek and destroy improperly parked cars? Certainly the idea has been around long enough:

- Car-wrecking robot from the cover of "Wonder Stories" science fiction pulp magazine from 1935.

T-52 however, is not a nemesis to cars. Quite the opposite:
Pink Tentacle reports:
"This is the giant rescue robot called T-52 Enryu ("Rescue Dragon"). It has a bulldozer-like base and a 5-meter long arms that can lift cars stuck in the snow. In the tests T-52 Enryu showed off its avalanche prevention skills by removing accumulated snow from the edge of a cliff. The robot also demonstrated its ability to extract a car buried under a bank of snow."
T-52 Enryu stands 3.45 meters tall and weighs 5 tons.

More pictures of this model tests: here

Robot Stylists Go Medieval

T-82 model may be the coolest-looking robot to date. Your personal stainless-steel "Knight of Antiquity", eager to help you shop for groceries and around the house.

T-82 scoops candy into a bag at Robotics show in Fukuoka. It has the most dexterious hand movements among robots today.

3. Practical Patrol and Monitor Robot (QC-SR)

Watch out! This robot goes on patrol in a building, and is capable of handling various emergencies, including fire.

5. Bipedal Walking Robots

Humanoid Two-legged Walking Robot "SHINPO"

Using the rotation of the human pelvis and the free movement of leg-joints as a model, the company has finally succeeded in making a robot that can walk without bending its knees - a first in this field with almost humanlike walking style.
It can climb stairs and carry things weighing 60 to 90kg.
"SHINPO" was developed in a collaboration of TMSUK Co., Ltd. and Atsuo Takanishi Laboratory for a part of the robot exhibition at Niigata Science Museum.

Biped Humanoid Robot WABIAN-2
(WAseda BIpedal humANiod-No.2)

From Takanishi Laboratory comes this cool humanoid model: