A Japanese rail business has developed a prototype of a massive robot capable of large-scale maintenance and construction activities. A human may steer the 32-foot (9.7-meter) tall robot using virtual reality goggles and hand controllers. It will be used to mend and maintain power lines rather than pummel enormous monsters or other Gundams destroying Tokyo when it is finished, which is expected in 2024.
According to New Atlas, the robot was constructed by the West Japan Rail Company “to boost production and safety.” Workers will be able to lift heavy items and do jobs while wearing virtual reality headsets that allow them to see through the eyes of the robot. It’s installed on a crane arm that’s connected to a train car, allowing it to be moved to its destination.
In a news release, the business claims that the operator’s movement is connected to the robots and that the controls are intuitive, with input on the robot’s weight being relayed back to the operator. By 2024, they want to be able to employ the robot in practical ways and sell it for various uses (see: Mothra rampages).
The footage of the West Japan Rail Company’s latest humanoid heavy equipment robot has been released. This gundam-style robot torso, mounted on the end of a crane, simulates the arm and head actions of a human pilot, who views through the robot’s eyes using VR goggles. According to the corporation, the main goals are “to boost productivity and safety,” allowing workers to carry and naturally operate heavy equipment around the rail system without risking electric shocks or falling.
When it’s time to go to work, the robot’s huge torso is affixed to a hydraulic crane arm that travels around the rail system on a specially reinforced rail car, putting down stabilizing legs. A human pilot dons a pair of motion-tracking VR goggles that allow him to control the motions of a Wall-E-style head with stereo vision. The pilot may move the robot’s arms and hands by gripping a pair of handles; if an external force, such as weight, moves the robot’s arms, this motion is mirrored back to the pilot’s controls.
