01:13West Japan Railways unveiled a giant humanoid robot for maintaining the train lines in Kusatsu on Tuesday.
Footage shows the massive robot, similar to 'Optimus Prime' from the Transformers series, sitting on top of a truck as engineers controlled the robot via cameras built into the machine's eyes from the vehicle's cockpit.
According to media reports, the robot reaches approximately 12 metres vertically and it is able to carry heavy objects weighing about 40 kilograms. It can be equipped with other tools to help operations such as blades, a chainsaw or paint brushes.
West Japan Railways developed the robot in co-operation with technology company Jinki Ittai and communications equipment manufacturing firm Nippon Signal.The aim is to fill labour shortages and reduce the number of accidents during work as well as reduce the workforce by at least 30 percent for the specific tasks, the company said in a statement.
Company president Kazuaki Hasegawa stated that the machine could be used for 'all kinds of maintenance operations' in the future.
Optimus Train! West Japan Railways deploys giant humanoid robot for maintenance works
West Japan Railways unveiled a giant humanoid robot for maintaining the train lines in Kusatsu on Tuesday.
Footage shows the massive robot, similar to 'Optimus Prime' from the Transformers series, sitting on top of a truck as engineers controlled the robot via cameras built into the machine's eyes from the vehicle's cockpit.
According to media reports, the robot reaches approximately 12 metres vertically and it is able to carry heavy objects weighing about 40 kilograms. It can be equipped with other tools to help operations such as blades, a chainsaw or paint brushes.
West Japan Railways developed the robot in co-operation with technology company Jinki Ittai and communications equipment manufacturing firm Nippon Signal.The aim is to fill labour shortages and reduce the number of accidents during work as well as reduce the workforce by at least 30 percent for the specific tasks, the company said in a statement.
Company president Kazuaki Hasegawa stated that the machine could be used for 'all kinds of maintenance operations' in the future.
West Japan Railways unveiled a giant humanoid robot for maintaining the train lines in Kusatsu on Tuesday.
Footage shows the massive robot, similar to 'Optimus Prime' from the Transformers series, sitting on top of a truck as engineers controlled the robot via cameras built into the machine's eyes from the vehicle's cockpit.
According to media reports, the robot reaches approximately 12 metres vertically and it is able to carry heavy objects weighing about 40 kilograms. It can be equipped with other tools to help operations such as blades, a chainsaw or paint brushes.
West Japan Railways developed the robot in co-operation with technology company Jinki Ittai and communications equipment manufacturing firm Nippon Signal.The aim is to fill labour shortages and reduce the number of accidents during work as well as reduce the workforce by at least 30 percent for the specific tasks, the company said in a statement.
Company president Kazuaki Hasegawa stated that the machine could be used for 'all kinds of maintenance operations' in the future.